


The Russian Connection

by sidhe_faerie



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-09
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-08 05:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1927887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidhe_faerie/pseuds/sidhe_faerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isabel hatches a plan that puts Felicity in danger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**The Russian Connection**  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Oliver/Felicity, Roy/Thea, Diggle/Lyla, Quentin, Moira, Sara, Isabel, Anatoli, Original Characters   
**Rating:** T/PG13 (violence, sexual themes, torture)  
 **Summary:** Isabel hatches a plan that puts Felicity in danger. 

 **Chapter 1**  
Oliver and Felicity woke early after three days of meetings in Gotham. They were on their own since Isabel had left a day early saying she had Stellmoor business to attend to.

They arrived at the airport to head back to Starling City. They headed to the private hanger but the QC plane was not there. Isabel had taken it.  

“That bitch took the plane.” Felicity said. “I thought she had the Stellmoor jet.”

“So did I.” Oliver said. “I guess we will have to go commercial.”

“On it.” Felicity pulled up an airline app on her phone and made the reservations. “We have to pick up our tickets and get through security now or we will miss the flight.”  

Oliver nodded. “I hate this. She did it out of spite.”

“You made her mad. Well, we made her mad.” Felicity said. “She wasn’t expecting us to share a suite.”

Oliver sighed. “That’s true. I wasn’t expecting her to try to seduce me either. I didn’t see any reason for her to come with us in the first place. I don’t think Bruce likes her anyway.”

“He probably doesn’t like her because she’s a bitch.” Felicity said. “She definitely wasn’t very friendly to him.”

Oliver scowled. He knew Felicity was Isabel’s usual target when she got angry. It worried him.

“He isn’t the CEO of Queen Consolidated.” Oliver said flatly.

“Lucky for him.” Felicity laughed.  

They rushed to the commercial terminal to purchase the tickets and board the next flight. They barely made it through security in time to board the plane.

The flight into Starling City was late and Diggle met them at the airport with a questioning look.

“Isabel took the plane. We need to get to QC now. I was hoping to be there before the meeting now I just hope we don’t miss it all together.” Oliver said to explain. 

Oliver and Felicity arrived at the end of the board meeting that they were supposed to be attending. They didn’t even have time to time to do more than throw their coats on the sofa in Oliver’s office.

“Mr. Queen, we were just wrapping up. I’m so glad you could join us.” Isabel said with a smirk.

“I’m sure you are since you took the jet and forced Ms. Smoak and myself to fly back commercial.” Oliver said. “It was almost like you were trying to make me miss this meeting.” 

Felicity looked around the room at the board members. None of them looked surprised at what Oliver said. She wondered what Isabel had told them about Oliver not being there for the meeting.

Oliver sat down. “My meetings with Bruce Wayne were productive. He will be coming here for the next series of meetings.”

“I don’t think we should work on the project with Mr. Wayne. It seems a waste of resources.” Isabel said. “Our focus should be more in house.”

“This board has already given the go ahead for the project. I intend to follow through with the Wayne Enterprises deal.” Oliver looked around at the board members

“I just don’t think it’s cost effective.” Isabel said. “We have to watch our costs.”

“I spent three entire days in meetings and now you want to pull the plug?”

No one said anything but one or two looked at Isabel for her reaction.

“Why is that, Isabel?” Oliver asked.

“I just told you. It’s not cost effective.” Isabel said. “Is anyone opposed to that?”

“I am.” Oliver said.

There was silence in the room. The board members were trying to get the courage up to speak after the heated exchange between Oliver and Isabel.

One of the board members coughed.

Isabel shot the poor man an icy glare. She seemed to get angry.

“Should we vote on it again?” Oliver said.

“No Mr. Queen.” The head of applied sciences said. “We stand by the previous vote.”

Isabel shot him a look that could kill.

“Is there anything else that I should be aware of before I call this meeting?” Oliver said.

One of the board members braved Isabel’s wrath and filled Oliver in on the meeting before he arrived

“Thank you. I expect notes on the meeting and copies of your reports on my desk ASAP. We all have work to do so let’s get to it.” Oliver held out his hand to Felicity.

Felicity took Oliver’s lead and got up. She threw a glare at Isabel.

Isabel was still sitting at the table and fuming. She was not making a move to get up. She had turned almost as red as her dress.

The other board members gave her a wide berth as they filed out. It was obvious that they were not happy with her behavior either.  

Oliver sat at his desk once he got back into his office. He started to take the files out of his briefcase.

“She can’t do that can she? Just go over your head like that.” Felicity asked.

“No. The board already gave the go ahead for the project so I don’t understand her wanting to kill it now.” Oliver said. “It would look bad for the company.”

“She may not be thinking less like an executive and more like a woman.” Diggle said from the sofa. “What happened in Gotham anyway?”

“Oliver and I decided to share a suite. We essentially put the kibosh on her plans to seduce him.” Felicity said.

Diggle chuckled. “That would do it.”

There was a knock at the door. Oliver looked up and saw Isabel smiling that sticky sweet smile of hers. Oliver sat back and waited for her to speak.

“I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have taken the plane.” Isabel said as she walked in.

“Why did you take the plane? Is it because you failed to seduce me when you showed up in Gotham? You know, right before you stranded us.” Oliver looked straight at her with a look that would make most people be afraid.

“I didn’t realize that your secretary had dibs for the entire trip or I wouldn’t have bothered you.” Isabel said smoothly.

“I am his executive assistant and there was nothing going on.” Felicity said. “I’m really getting tired of saying that.”

Isabel looked over at Felicity. “You were in his room. I saw you.”

“It was a suite and it had two bedrooms.” Felicity snapped back.

Isabel looked at Felicity. “I know what I saw.”

Felicity said. “He is my friend. Haven’t you ever shared a room with your friend? Wait, you don’t have friends. It’s probably because who would be a friend to a skank like you.”

Oliver glanced over at Diggle then back at Felicity. He could tell Felicity was past mad into livid. That was never a good thing. He knew. He had been on the receiving end of her ‘livid’ before.

Diggle went to stand behind Felicity. He was ready to grab her if necessary. 

Felicity looked behind her at Diggle standing in his bodyguard stance. She turned to raise an eyebrow at Oliver.

“Ms. Smoak, you are fired. You need to leave the building immediately.” Isabel said. “Leave all your files on your desk.”

“Gladly. I won’t have to put up with your crap attitude and watch you try to seduce my friend.” Felicity said as she started to leave. “By the way, he can do better than you.” 

“Stay there Felicity.” Oliver said softly and stood up. “I have had enough of this. If you want to air our differences in front of the board, I would be happy to do it but for future reference, Isabel, I hired her so if she needs to be fired I will be the one doing it. You can’t get rid of her just because she’s in your way to get to me. I don’t want you here but I have been forced to work with you. That is all that I will do.”

“You never had a problem with having a little fun with me before.” Isabel said.

Oliver stood up. “I think you should remember whose name is on this building.”

“You are only in control of fifty percent of the stock. I have the other fifty.” Isabel said.

“That isn’t all you want to have. You want him.” Felicity said.

“I’m not the only one apparently.” Isabel said.

“Isabel, go back to your office. I’m tired and not in the mood for you and your insinuations. Now that I have said that, can we get some business taken care of?” Oliver said.

Isabel gave Oliver a look of confusion. “Why are you so enthusiastic about work all of sudden? I can’t even count on you to attend meetings with any regularity.”

“I have said before I have other interests outside of this company.” Oliver said. “I need to take care of all my business dealings and you and your constant seduction efforts aren’t helping matters.”

Isabel spun on her heel and stormed out of Oliver’s office. 

“Felicity, what was all that about?” Oliver asked. “We can’t confront her until we have something to confront her with.”

“I know. I let her get to me.” Felicity said. “I think sometimes I forget that I’m just your secretary, at least at QC.”

“Felicity, you know better than that. I couldn’t do any of this without you.” Oliver said softly. “Right now you need to find me something on Isabel that I can use to get here out of here.”

Felicity nodded. “I need to check the mail then I’ll get right on it.”

Oliver watched her walk to her desk.

“It’s obvious that she feels more than just friendship with you.” Diggle said quietly. “Isabel wouldn’t have caused that reaction otherwise.”

“I know.” Oliver sighed. “I tried to talk to her in Gotham but we kept getting interrupted.”

“Wait you mean you tried to have _the_ _talk_ , don’t you?” Diggle grinned.

“Yeah _the talk_.” Oliver said. “We talked but we didn’t get things out in the open. I’m going to try to talk to her later on tonight.”

“At the lair?” Diggle said.

Oliver nodded. “So if you want to take off early you can. She has some searches to do and I really need to train.”

“I’ll train with you then I have to get out early.” Diggle smiled. “Lyla is coming in for the weekend. I’ll still be available but I would like to have a little time for her.”

Oliver grinned and nodded. “That goes without saying.

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Diggle said.  

Felicity came back in and put a stack of opened mail on his desk. “What’s a plan?”

“We are going to train while you do your searches and then Dig is heading out early to get ready for Lyla’s visit this weekend.” Oliver said.

“That’s really why he is grumpy.” Felicity said. “He hasn’t hit anything in a few days.”

Diggle laughed. “I don’t think that’s it but I’ll go along with that.”

Felicity looked between the two men and frowned. “Did I interrupt guy talk again?”

Oliver shook his head and tried to look innocent. Diggle just looked at the floor.

“That’s not cool, you know. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t participate.” Felicity sounded hurt.

“We were discussing you.” Oliver said.

“Oh! What have a done now? Well other than make Isabitch mad as a heck.” Felicity said.

“Dig is concerned that you and I haven’t talked about some things.” Oliver said.

“Oh he is, is he? Dig, we tried but Isabitch kept trying to throw her panties at him.” Felicity said. “Which is kinda easy because it’s not like she actually wears them anyway.”

Diggle and Oliver both started laughing. 

“How do you know?” Oliver asked.

“Two words - Panty lines. She doesn’t have them. I have them. Dig has them. You sometimes have them. Felicity winked at him.

Diggle burst out laughing at Oliver’s face.

“I wear underwear.” Oliver blushed.

“All the time? Because I swear, last week if your sweats had went down any farther I would have seen the royal jewels.” Felicity said.

“Oh man, she’s got you there.” Diggle said.

“Thank you. I will remember to wear underwear at all times from now on.” Oliver shifted in his chair.

“You don’t have any on now, do you?” Felicity tilted her head at him.

“Let me check.” Oliver grinned at Dig. He stood up and started to unbuckle his belt.

Felicity put her hand up to stop him. “Oh Kay. I’m going to go file something now.”

Oliver grinned at sat back down and watched her leave the office.

“What would you have done if she had called your bluff?” Dig asked.

“I would have shown her more than she maybe wanted to see at the moment.” Oliver said. “She’s right. I do go commando a little too often. I never even thought about it on the island.”

“I think the thing to focus on is that she pays attention to your ass and whether or not you have lines on it.” Diggle teased.

“I can’t believe she would look.” Oliver said.

“She stares at you while you train all the time.” Diggle said.

Oliver nodded. “I know. I like it.”

Felicity walked into the office. “I have something for you.”

“Already?” Oliver said.

“I hacked her financials. She has a holding company that she doesn’t think anyone knows about. It’s registered in Moscow. I can’t read the actual Cyrillic but maybe you can.” Felicity handed him the tablet.

Oliver started to laugh. He handed back the tablet.

Felicity looked at him. “Well share the joke with the rest of us.”

“Natasha Incorporated. She made a joke once saying she sounded like Natasha before she lost her Russian accent. I never got the reference.” Oliver said. “She was adopted from a Russian orphanage and brought to the US as a child.”

“That will give me something else to look into.” Felicity said.

“What do you mean you don’t get the reference? It’s Boris and Natasha. It’s a Bullwinkle reference.” Diggle said. “I used to love that cartoon.”

Felicity and Oliver looked at Diggle.

“Oh come on. You two have never seen it?” Diggle was shocked. “Boris and Natasha were evil and they kept plotting to kill Rocky and Bullwinkle.”

“Obviously we had very different childhoods.” Oliver said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the adoption records were sealed and possibly not on line.”

“Yes but birth certificates and passport information is hackable. It shouldn’t be that difficult to find where she was born and when she arrived in the US.” Felicity said. “I think maybe this may be where we should go. I just have a feeling.”

Oliver nodded. “I trust your feelings. They haven’t failed us in the past.”

“I’m going to have to wait to use the computers at the lair. They have some special encryption on them that won’t set off alarms. I don’t want to get arrested for espionage.” Felicity said.

Oliver nodded. “We are about to head out here. There is nothing else I can do here today. I have to wait on those reports from the board and look over the budget for the W.E. project. I can do that while you run your searches.”

“I’ll get it and start to pack up for the day.” Felicity said. She turned to walk out and saw Thea coming down the hall to the office. “Oliver, it’s your sister.”

“What?” Oliver looked up to see Thea coming through the office door. “Thea what is it?”

“Mom is acting all weird. She’s been really quiet lately.” Thea said. “I think it’s because she found out that Walter is dating some woman.”

Oliver winced. “Isn’t this the kind of thing that you two talk about?”

“Yeah but she won’t talk to me. Ollie, can you see if she will talk to you?” Thea asked.

Oliver sighed. “I’ll try but I can’t promise anything.”

“Thanks. That’s all I wanted to hear.” Thea pulled a letter out of her bag. “I came to give you this too. It’s the renewal for the liquor license. You have to sign it because it’s still in your name. I’m not old enough to drink, remember?”

Oliver held out his hand to take it. He read it over and signed it. He held it out to Thea when he was done. “I will talk to Mom tomorrow. I have some other things to take care of first.”

Thea nodded and smiled. She shoved the renewal letter back in her bag. “Thanks Ollie.”

“Sure Speedy.” Oliver smiled back.

Thea smiled at Diggle and Felicity then left as quickly as she came.

“Let’s get out of here before something else happens.” Oliver said. He stood up and walked around the desk.

“Don’t you want to go check on your mom first?” Felicity said.

“What am I going to say to her? I’m the last person she should take relationship advice from.” Oliver said.

“You should see if she wants to talk then just listen. That’s all she really needs.” Felicity said.

Oliver sighed. “Do you have your car?”

“Yes. It’s in the parking garage.” Felicity said.

“I’ll walk you to your car and then go to the mansion. We’ll meet up with you later.” Oliver said.

“Oliver, just try to be sympathetic.” Felicity said.

“I know.” Oliver said. He helped her with her coat and waited as she went to load things into her bag at her desk.

“I can’t even get my own relationship off the ground and I’m supposed to talk to my Mom about hers?” Oliver said.

“I don’t envy you at times. This is one of those times.” Diggle said.

“Thanks for the support.” Oliver said.

Felicity waved them on and they all went to the parking garage. Oliver walked Felicity to her car and Diggle went to get the town car.

“Hey!” Oliver said softly as he helped her into the driver’s seat. “I want you to know that we are going to talk about some things we should have already talked about.”

“You mean the way you have softened your tone when you talk to me or the way you are always in my space.” Felicity said. “If I didn’t know better I would swear you act more like my boyfriend than my boss.”

“That is part of what I want to talk about.” Oliver said.

Felicity nodded. “I can’t wait. I’ll see you at the lair.”

Oliver shut the door and went to get into the back of the town car that Diggle just pulled up in.

Diggle and Oliver drove off and Felicity pulled out of the space and followed.

Felicity drove to the back of Verdant and parked in her usual space. She looked around like Diggle had taught her before getting out. She leaned back into the back seat to get her bag and the world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Oliver walked into the living room of the Queen mansion and sat down next to his mother.

Moira looked at her son with a puzzled expression. “Oliver, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to check in with you. I hear you have been upset and I’m usually the cause so I thought I’d come see what I can do to fix it.” Oliver started off.

“You talked to Thea, didn’t you?” Moira asked. “I’m not upset really but it is a little hard to swallow when the man that used to be my husband is dating an old friend of mine.”

“Want to tell me about it?” Oliver said.

“No I don’t and you can tell your sister that she shouldn’t have asked you to talk to me.” Moira said. “I know she did so don’t even try to deny it.”

Oliver looked at his mom. “I’m sorry Mom. I thought maybe you and Walter could patch things up once things calmed down.”

“So did I but I made a mistake and I have to live with the consequences.” Moira hugged her son. “I’ll be fine, so don’t worry. Go on and do what you do every evening.”

Oliver kissed his mom on the cheek. “I love you Mom.”

Moira smiled. “One of these days you are going to have to bring that girl your seeing home to meet me. I just hope it’s soon.”

Oliver smiled. “I’m working on it. She isn’t making things easy for me.”

“I like her already and I haven’t even met her.” Moira laughed. “Any girl that makes you work to win her over is worth it in my book.”

“I’ll tell her you said that.” Oliver got up and gave his mom another kiss as he headed back out and off to the lair.

Diggle looked up as Oliver walked into the foyer. “That was quick.”

“As I suspected, she didn’t want to talk to me about her relationship problems. Let’s just get to the lair and see what Felicity has found out.” Oliver said.

Oliver and Diggle went out to the car and drove to the club. They pulled up behind Felicity’s mini cooper.

Diggle frowned. Something looked off. He couldn’t put his finger on it. It was just a few hairs on the back of his neck telling him to be alert.

“Oliver something’s wrong. I can feel it.” Diggle said.

“I can feel it too. Check the car and I’ll look around.” Oliver got out and started to walk up the alley way to the secret door of the lair. There was nothing out of the ordinary so he went back to where Diggle was looking in Felicity’s car.

“Her bag and keys are here but there isn’t any sign of her.” Diggle said. “Was there anything out of place in the alley?”

“No.” Oliver took out his phone and called Felicity.

There was a ringing sound under the driver’s seat.

Diggle reached under the seat and came out with Felicity’s phone. He looked at the phone and then back at Oliver.

“I know it looks like she was taken but maybe she just left it in the car by accident. Let’s go in and see if she’s there.” Oliver said.

Diggle left everything in the car and they went inside.

The lair was dark not even the computers were on.

“Now what?” Diggle said.

“We check the security feeds. She couldn’t have just vanished.” Oliver said.

Oliver turned on the lights and went over to one of the computers. He turned it on and pulled up the security feeds for the alley way. There was nothing. He checked the other feed in the back of the club and that was when he saw it. There was a black SUV pulling up and leaving just after Felicity had pulled in.

“We need to call Lance. We can’t find her on our own.” Diggle said.

Oliver went over and picked up the cell phone he used as the Arrow. He dialed the number and waited.

“Lance.” A voice on the other end came on.

“I need your help. Ms. Smoak has been kidnapped. We have a plate number to a black SUV that was seen near where she was last spotted. Her phone, keys and bag are still in her car.” Oliver explained to the cop.

“Give me the plate number and I’ll run it.”  

Oliver read off the plate number over the phone. He waited for a response.

“The plate is stolen off a white pickup. Where is the car at?”

Oliver hesitated. “It’s behind Verdant.”

“Verdant? The nightclub? What was she doing there?”

“She was meeting me.” Oliver said.

“I’ll meet you there in ten. I’ll need to take a look around.”

“Hurry. I don’t want her kidnappers to get too far away.”

“Neither do I.”

The phone disconnected.

“Keep searching the cameras to see if you can find anything.” Oliver said. “I’m going up on the roof to see if we missed anything.”

“You mean like a body.” Diggle said.

Oliver closed his eyes. “Yes, like a body. I need to suit up first.”

Lance was there in five not ten. Oliver came down from the roof when he saw the officer drive up.

“Why was she here to meet you?” Lance asked as he saw Oliver as Arrow walk up.

Oliver hit the voice modulator. “She was going to do some work for me.”

“You weren’t using her as bait again, were you?” Lance gave him a hard look.

“No not this time. She was going to do what she does best. She was going to hack some sources for information we needed on a target.” Oliver told him.

“Here?” Lance gave the Arrow a skeptical look.

“My base of operations is close to here. That is where she usually does her work.” Oliver admitted.

“I see. I didn’t think to look around this neighborhood. I thought you were based more in a central location in the Glades.” Lance said.

Oliver looked down. “Can you help me? Help her?”

Lance nodded. “I need to track the SUV. Did it have any markings on it and how long ago did it leave here?”

“We have the images up on the computers now.” Oliver hesitated then made a decision. “If I show you where we are based I need you to promise that you will never tell anyone.”  

“You have my word. I’m fond of the girl and I want her found, alive and unharmed. So let’s go to your base and get what I need to find her.” Lance said.

Oliver nodded. “If you compromise me I will put an arrow in you.”

“I understand.” Lance said.

Oliver hit the com. “I’m coming in with Lance.”

“You’re kidding!” Diggle said on the other end.

“No I’m not. It’s time. Felicity needs this.” Oliver said.

“OK.” Diggle said.

Oliver led Lance to the secret door and opened it. He waved him inside.

Lance blinked at the lights and he walked slowly as he took in everything. He looked to the man sitting at the computer screens.

“I know you. You’re Queen’s body man. John Diggle right?” Lance said.

Diggle turned around and faced Lance. He looked past Lance to Oliver who was pushing back the hood and removing his mask.

Lance followed the man’s line of sight and turned to come face to face with Oliver.

“I knew it was you.” Lance said. “I knew it all along.”

“Please help us find Felicity.” Oliver said. “Dig, did you find anything on cameras.”

“Yeah. I followed it on traffic cams as it headed to the airport. She could be anywhere by now.” Diggle said.

“Can you pull up the flights out of the airport?” Oliver asked.

“You know this is her thing. I don’t even know where to begin.” Dig said. “Oliver, they knew she would be here. I want to check the car again.”

Oliver nodded and traded places with Diggle. He pulled up the private aircraft flight plans. All three flights were out of the country: Canada, China, and Russia.

“She could be on any of these three.” Oliver said. He tried to access the security cameras at the private air strip and found they had been disabled. “I need you to see if you can check the flight to Canada.” 

Lance dialed a number and talked to the airport security at the Canadian destination.

“What about the Russian and Chinese flights?” Lance asked when he got off the phone.

“I have a friend in Russia that will do me a favor.” Oliver said. He grabbed his phone out of his jacket and called Anatoli. Oliver quickly explained what was going on to his friend in Russian. Anatoli remembered Felicity and promised if she was on that flight he would get her and keep her safe until Oliver could come for her.

Lance stared at Oliver when he hung up the phone. “You speak Russian?”

Oliver nodded. “Maybe if I call the Chinese embassy I can get someone to meet the plane.”

“Don’t tell me you know Chinese too.” Lance said. “We don’t have an extradition treaty with them, you know. They aren’t going to help.”

Oliver’s jaw tightened. He tried to wrack his brain to remember where Sara was. He tried the satellite number he had given Sara. She had left Starling when things didn’t work out between them. 

“Ollie, this isn’t the best time. I’m following someone.” Sara’s voice answered.

“Sorry but Felicity is missing. We think she was taken out of the country. Where are you?” Oliver asked.

“I’m in Beijing. When was she kidnapped?”

“About an hour ago. There is a flight headed towards you. Can you see if she’s on it?” Oliver asked.  

“Sure what airport?” Sara asked.

Oliver gave her the information for the flight including the tail number and approximate time of arrival. “Are you doing all right?”

“Yeah. I just need to stay out of sight.”

“There is someone you may want to talk to. Hold on.” Oliver said. He handed the phone to Lance.

“Hello?” Lance said.

“Daddy! I miss you.”

“I miss you too, baby. Are you safe?” Lance said.

“For now. I need to go do this thing for Ollie then I’ll head towards home soon.”

“OK baby. I love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy.” The line went dead.

Lance looked at him. “Thank you for that.”

Oliver nodded. “What did you find out from the Canadian airport?”

“The flight already landed and there was no blonde woman on board just two men returning from a business trip. They are going to email me the surveillance footage.” Lance said. “Now what?”

“We have to wait on the other flights.” Oliver said.

Diggle came back in. He held up what looked like a tracking device. “I found out how they knew where she was. I should have checked her car before we left Q.C.. It was right under the bumper.”

“Why would they take Felicity? No one knows she has anything to do with this.” Oliver said as he gestured around him.

“It may have nothing to do with the Arrow. This may have to do with the fact she’s the executive assistant to Oliver Queen.” Diggle said. “It may be a personal strike and not a strike against the Arrow.”

“He has a point. Who knows that she is close to you?” Lance asked.

Oliver sat back down. “Just about everyone. The flights to Russia and China are still in the air. We have to wait.”

“Did you say Russia?” Diggle asked. “Oliver, do you think she could have been grabbed by someone working for Isabel?”

Oliver closed his eyes and growled. “I will kill her if I find out that bitch has harmed one hair on Felicity’s head.”

“Who is Isabel?” Lance asked.

“Isabel Rochev. She has a thing for Oliver and Felicity is the one thing standing in her way to get him.” Diggle said. “She has ties to Russia. Have you called Anatoli?”

“Yes. He will have his men at the airport when the plane arrives.” Oliver said.

“Anatoli Knyazev? You know the head of the Bratva? What am I saying? Of course you do.” Lance rubbed his face with his hand. “I need to get back out there but I will check with my sources to see if anyone knows anything.”

“I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that this location is to be kept secret.” Oliver said.

Lance nodded. “I know.”

The back door opened and Roy strolled in. “I need to hit something like now. Shit! What is he doing in here?”

“Learning more than I ever wanted to know.” Lance said.

“Walk him out Dig and make sure the door is secure.” Oliver said.

Diggle followed Lance to the side door.

“Roy, Felicity has been kidnapped. I need you to dig around and see if you can find out who did it. The kidnapper may have hired local. They were driving a black SUV with stolen plates.” Oliver explained.

“Sounds like a gang ride. I’ll go see if anyone knows anything. Hey, we will find her.” Roy said. “I know you two are close.”

“Thanks Roy but just do the best you can.” Oliver thought a minute. “Roy, why did you need to hit something?”

“Your sister wants us to have dinner with your mom. She says she needs to be cheered up or something. Sounds like a little of Thea’s meddling to me.” Roy sighed.

“Mom had some news. She does need a little cheering up. Just go along with it. Please.” Oliver said. “Thea even asked me to talk to her but Mom didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe you should remind your sister that not everything works out the way we want it to. It’s something I had to learn early living in the Glades. You learned it on that island.” Roy said.

Oliver nodded. “Right now my focus is Felicity and bringing her home safely.”

“Yeah.” Roy said he turned to leave. He and Diggle shared a look. They were worried about what Oliver would do when he found out who had taken Felicity.

“Lance is off in about three hours. He said he will head back this way then. Where is Roy off to?” Diggle said.

“He is going to see if anyone local was hired for this. We just have to wait now. I’m going to go look around. Keep the com open. Keep checking the police frequencies for any activity.”

“Keep sharp Oliver. Felicity doesn’t need to come home to you behind bars or worse.” Diggle said.

“She is coming home, Dig. She has to.” Oliver put on his mask and pulled his hood up before heading out the door.

Diggle sat at the computers and said a silent prayer. Diggle knew that if something were to happen to Felicity, Oliver would lose his mind.

Thankfully it was a quiet night and there was no real activity on the police scanners. When Lance came back after his shift, Diggle met him at the door.

“Has there been any word yet?” Lance asked.

“No nothing. It will be a few more hours to be sure. Oliver is on his way back in.” Diggle told him.

“I had the Canadian airport send me a copy of their video surveillance.” Lance handed Diggle a flash drive. “It was like they said two businessmen. The plane was searched according to the custom officials and no one else was found on board.”

“That’s one down at least.” Diggle said. “Oliver won’t be in a good place if something happens to her.”

“I gather they are closer than people think.” Lance said.

“They are closer than they think. Oliver was supposed to talk to her about that tonight. They have been pushing the envelope on the friend zone for a while now.” Diggle said.

Lance shook his head. “It’s gonna kill him, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. I think so. She is the only one that can get through to him when he gets all dark and broody.” Diggle said. “That is when he is the most dangerous.”

“Then we better find her in one piece or you and I will have a mess on our hands.” Lance said.

Roy came through the door. “Hey! Where is Oliver. I caught a lead.”

“What’s the lead?” Oliver asked from behind him. 

“There was a couple of gang members paid to grab a blonde woman and bring her to the airport. They were paid in cash by a man but they said they thought they saw a woman with dark hair in the back of the limo.”

“Isabel.” Diggle said.

“She said something to the guy with the money in a foreign language.” Roy said. “They couldn’t say what it was.”

“Where are they? I want to talk to them.” Oliver said.

“Thought you might. I put them in the spare dumpster.” Roy said.

“Are they alive?” Oliver said.

Roy rolled his eyes. “Yes. They are gaged and tied up. I thought you might want to do the killing part so I saved them for you.”

“Lance is here. We can put them somewhere when we are done and he can call it in.” Oliver said. “Felicity wouldn’t want me to kill unless I have to.”

Roy nodded. “You’re right. She wouldn’t.” 

Oliver went towards the door and Roy looked at Lance and Diggle before following.

“If she’s dead …” Lance started.

“Don’t even go there. He will be even worse that he was at the beginning of all of this.” Diggle said. “There will be bodies all over the place.”

The gang bangers couldn’t give them any more than what they already knew. Roy and Oliver took them to a place for Lance to call in to have them picked up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Felicity’s head was pounding as she struggled to wake up. She tried to move and couldn’t. After opening her eyes she realized her hands were bound and she was gagged. From her vantage point she couldn’t see anything but she could hear the engines of a small jet plane.    

She heard voices in the background but she was sure they were not speaking English. She tried to figure out what language they were speaking when she heard the Russian pronunciation of the word ‘vodka’. They were speaking Russian.

Felicity tried to figure out how she got there but all she could remember was the sudden blackness she experienced as she bent over to retrieve her bag from the back seat of her car.

Was she drugged or knocked out? She couldn’t tell. Her head was pounding either way. She was also starting to feel a little queasy. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe slowly to help the pain in her head and the nausea.

“Wake up and look at me.” A woman’s voice said through the pounding.

Felicity wasn’t completely aware yet. Footsteps approached then stopped close to her.

Felicity looked up and could make out the blurry form of a woman. The woman seemed familiar. She squinted to try to make her vision cooperate.

“I can’t see. I need my glasses.” Felicity said through the gag.

“Stupid fool.” The woman said. She said something to a man behind her in Russian.

Felicity sat still as one of the men put her glasses on her. The man removed her gag as well. He pulled back quickly but not before she saw the gun in the holster at his side.

“Look at me!” The woman’s voice sounded familiar this time.

Felicity looked up and saw Isabel staring down at her. Her eyes grew wide in surprise. Why would Isabel kidnap her?

“Isabel?” Felicity asked. “What’s going on?”

“Yes. I’ve taken you prisoner. You know, I thought about killing you but that would be too easy.” Isabel kicked her with her Prada pumps. “You have been a thorn in my side from the time I walked into Queen Consolidated and tried to take it from that entitled drunken playboy.”

“Me?” Felicity squeaked. “What have I done?”

“When I realized that the stock was off the table, I had to switch my focus. I couldn’t get Queen Consolidated by gaining controlling interest of the stock anymore. I decided to go after Oliver.” Isabel shared with her. “I was going to seduce him into marrying me then when we are happily married, he would have a tragic accident. It would be something with a lot of booze and a fast car of course. It would have worked but for you.”

Felicity tried to wiggle her fingers to see if there was any slack in the rope. She felt a slight give. She decided to keep trying. She counted her lucky stars that her hands were tied behind her and no one could see what she was doing.

 “Oliver would never have fallen for that.” Felicity said. “He would have never married you.”

“No he wouldn’t, at least not while he was in love with you.” Isabel said. “I thought you were just servicing him at first but I was wrong. He’s in love with you.”  

“Why do you think Oliver loves me? We aren’t even a couple.”  Felicity asked trying to buy some time.

“I see him looking at you. The way he speaks to you is almost _intimate_.” Isabel said as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. “You are always a hare’s breath away from each other. He can’t keep out of your personal space and he can’t keep his hands off you. He touches your back and shoulders like he staking a claim on you. It’s pathetic.”   

Felicity looked at the woman. “I guess that is why it bothers you. Because Oliver and I are so close and you will never have him. Why didn’t you just kill me? It would have been the solution. I would be out of your way for good. Why did you kidnap me instead?”

“If my seduction doesn’t work I need a backup plan. First you will go missing then I will console him.” Isabel said almost gleefully. “If that doesn’t work I am going to use you to make him give me the stock. That was why I decided not to kill you. If he loves you like I think he does, he will give anything to have you back in his arms.” Isabel said confidently. “Besides you love him too and that just makes this so much more enjoyable for me.”

“What makes you think I love him the same way he loves me?” Felicity asked. The more she knew how Isabel thought the more she could form a plan to outwit her.

Isabel laughed. “It’s obvious even a blind man can see it goes both ways.”

Felicity felt the rope loosen some more on her hands. If she could just keep them distracted a few more minutes she may be able to get out of the ropes. She would still have to wait for the plane to land before she could make a run for it if outwitting Isabel didn’t work.

“I know what it looks like to be in love. You have it written all over your face every time you look his way. You touch him as much as he touches you. You are constantly smoothing his lapels and straightening his tie. You love him and it’s obvious to everyone who is in the same room with the two of you. I don’t know why you are even questioning it.” Isabel sighed.

“You took me because of that? Really Isabel? You really need to stop reading all those cheesy romance novels on your kindle.” Felicity said. “Love isn’t about looks or touching. It’s about trust. You will never have Oliver’s trust even if you get back in his pants again.”

“You think he trusts you?” Isabel asked. “Why would he?”

“I know he does and I trust him.” Felicity said. “We would do anything for each other. He would never trust you like that. Where are you taking me anyway? I hope it’s somewhere sunny because I hate the cold.”

“Then you will hate where I’m taking you. There are few places colder than Moscow in the winter.” Isabel said.

Felicity looked at the smug grin on Isabel’s face and wondered what she was going to do when she found out that Oliver had connections in Russia. Oliver’s connections were deadly and she was sure he had already figured out where she was.

“What are you thinking?” Isabel asked. “Are you thinking you will be rescued? No one will help you in Russia not without connections or cash and you have neither.”

“Do you have connections and cash?” Felicity asked. Felicity remembered the holding company in Moscow. That was where the cash would come from. She was sure of it.

“I have all I need to make you disappear until I need you. There are actually people that will pay to take you off my hands for a while.” Isabel laughed. “I think I will be a spring bride. What do you think? Actually I don’t care what you think.”

“Can I have a drink of water that gag left a nasty taste in my mouth?” Felicity said. She was feeling a little nauseous too.

Isabel said something in Russian to the man and he went to get a bottle of water. He gave Felicity a drink and put the gag back in her mouth.

Felicity got a look at his gun. It was a revolver. She only had to avoid six bullets unless he had a backup.

“We will be landing soon.” Isabel kicked her again. “Don’t get any ideas. The private air strip is far away from the terminal. I’m sure you remember that from your last visit.”   

Felicity bit down on the gag to keep from crying out. She really hoped Oliver had figured it out because if he didn’t, she was toast. Dodging six bullets and a long run is not going to be easy when her legs were half numb from sitting so long.

The satellite phone rang in the lair. Oliver picked it up.

“Sara, please tell me that you have her.” Oliver sounded so desperate it made Lance and Diggle look over at him.  

“She wasn’t on the flight, Ollie. I checked the plane myself.” Sara said. “I have to go. I’ll check in again soon tell Dad that I love him. The line went dead.

“What did Sara say?” Lance asked.

“She said to tell you that she loves you.” Oliver leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “Sara didn’t have her. We are running out of options.”

“That means she is on the Russian flight.” Diggle said.

“We have no way to confirm that, Dig.” Oliver said. “She could be anywhere. The airport could have been misdirection. The limo could have left there and came back to the city.”

Lance looked at Diggle. “If she is still in the city then we will find her. We can’t give up.”

“I’m not giving up! I will tear this city apart if I have to.” Oliver said. “I will go anywhere, do anything to find her.”

Lance sighed. “We will help you. You know that.” 

“He’s right, Oliver.” Diggle said.

Roy walked in the back door. “I just wanted to check in. Are we doing any more patrols tonight?”

“No. Go be with Thea.” Oliver said. “I’ll let you know when we need you. I’m not going back out tonight.”

“Any news?” Roy looked at Diggle who just shook his head.

Roy frowned and nodded. He patted Oliver on the shoulder. “Maybe you should hit something. It makes me feel better.”

Oliver looked up at Roy. “I don’t think anything will make me feel better until she is sitting over there, safe and sound.”

“I get it.” Roy said. “I’d feel the same way if it were Thea.”

Oliver nodded. “Yeah. I guess you would.”

“Hang in there. You will know something soon. I can feel it. ‘Night.” Roy headed out the way he came in.

“Oliver, you need to be prepared just in case it doesn’t come out all right.” Diggle said. “I know you don’t want to think about it but it is a possibility.”

Oliver looked at Diggle. There were tears in his eyes. “I can’t. She doesn’t even know that I love her. I have never even told her. We were supposed to talk about it last night. I was going to tell her and now she may never hear it. I don’t want to think that I will never tell her how I feel.”

“She knows. She wouldn’t stand by you and do all this if she didn’t love you.” Lance said. “Not many women would. She is one of a kind and she knows in her heart that you love her back. She defended you to me once. She could see the good in you. That’s love.”

“When did you get all sentimental?” Oliver said. “You’re just relieved it isn’t one of your daughters that I have gotten in this mess.”

“Hey! I like Felicity. She reminds me a lot of Sara. She’s strong and a survivor.” Lance said. “What she sees in you, I don’t understand but I know she is the heart of this operation. Look at us! We are four grown men sitting here worrying about a little girl who is like a sister, a daughter and even a wife. Yeah I said it. You feel like she is your wife. I get that.”  

Oliver’s head shot up at the word ‘wife’. “Yeah. You’re right I do. I just hope I actually get to marry her.”

“Whoa! Did you just say what I thought you did?” Diggle asked. “You are thinking of proposing to Felicity?”

“I wasn’t going to do it tonight but I had planned on it soon.” Oliver said. “It’s silly really. I start this and find the one person I can have a life with. She is the one that fits. I don’t have to change myself or her. We just fit.”

Diggle grinned. “I get it. Love doesn’t come when you plan it or when you expect it.”

Oliver looked at his watch. “The last plane should be getting into Moscow about now.”

“We will know soon if she’s on it.” Diggle said.

Oliver got up and started to pace the floor.

Felicity heard Isabel and the man talking in Russian. They seemed to be having a disagreement about something. Their voices were lowered but strained. Felicity could tell that even though they were not speaking in English.

It seemed like the man was questioning the plan for when they got off the plane. That meant there was a problem that Felicity may be able to use to her advantage.

Felicity needed to figure out how much longer she would have to wait to make a break for it. She started to flex her leg muscles to get the blood flowing again. The last thing she needed was to stumble around.

She had no idea how long she had been out before she had been put on the plane but she had figured out how. There was a sore spot on one of her calf muscles probably some kind of injection.

Felicity felt the plane bump as it started to land. She realized that she had to be ready for any opening she could get. She just hoped there was one.

The man grabbed her by the arm as soon as the plane came to a halt. Felicity held onto the now untied rope with her hands. When the man hauled her to feet she stumbled to make them think she was too numb to make much of an escape. He roughly pulled her to the door.

Isabel was ahead of them and was through the door and walking across the tarmac when they started down the steps. She walked over to the two men at the van.

Felicity looked out and saw Anatoli standing next to the van. She made eye contact when he looked up at her. She was relieved but not feeling all together safe yet.

Anatoli’s man came towards the steps and stood at the bottom waiting.  

Felicity was about half way down the steps with Isabel’s man when she let go of the rope and grabbed the rail. She kicked the man’s knee out from under him. He fell the rest of the way down the steps. 

Anatoli’s man stepped on the fallen man’s back and shot him in the back of the head.

Felicity sat down on the steps too afraid to move.

Isabel turned to see what happened and Anatoli backhanded her to the ground. Isabel screamed when she saw the two dead bodies on the other side of the van. Each with gunshot wounds to the head. 

Anatoli said something to his man and the man went to stand next to Isabel as she sat on the wet tarmac. He pointed his gun at her and smiled.

“Felicity. It’s fine. Come, you are safe now.” Anatoli said. He held out his hand to her. “We have to hurry.”

Felicity got up and came down the steps. She took Anatoli’s hand and he helped her over the dead body at the foot of the steps.

A town car drove up and Anatoli helped Felicity in. The trunk was opened and something was put inside. Anatoli opened the door and sat next to her. His man sat in the front passenger seat.

“Are you hurt?” Anatoli asked her.

“No. What did you do to Isabel?” Felicity wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“She is in the trunk. Oliver wants her alive. He probably wants to kill her himself. Your man has a temper.” Anatoli laughed. He pulled a phone out of his pocket and dialed.

Oliver’s phone rang on the table beside him at the lair. He looked over and saw that it was Anatoli calling.

“Do you have her?” Oliver asked.

“Yes Oliver.” Anatoli smiled “She is right here.”

Anatoli handed the phone to Felicity.

“Oliver?” Felicity said hesitantly.

“Felicity, are you all right?” Oliver asked.

Diggle and Lance breathed sighs of relief. Oliver looked up at them.

“I’m fine. Just a little sore from being tied up.” Felicity said. “Isabel is in the trunk. What are you going to do to her?”

“Don’t worry about her. Dig and I will be there to get you as soon as we can.” Oliver smiled. “You had everyone worried. Dig was getting upset. Lance and Roy have been beside themselves too.”

“Make sure to tell them thank you for looking after you.” Felicity said.

“I will. Felicity, put Anatoli back on the phone.” Oliver told her.

“He wants to talk to you.” Felicity handed the phone back to Anatoli.

“How is she really?” Oliver said.

“She has just had a scare but I will have a doctor look at her to make sure. This one is brave. Smart too. She took out the man holding her. All my man had to do was step on him and shoot.” Anatoli said in Russian.

Oliver smiled. He spoke to Anatoli in Russian. “Dig and I will be there soon. I need to get her passport stamped so she can come back to the US without a problem.”

“I will handle it when you get here.” Anatoli told him in Russian. “I have more to tell you but it can wait until you get here. What do you want to do about the woman?”

“Keep her prisoner until I get there. I’m on my way.” Oliver responded in Russian. He disconnected the call.

“We are off to Russia?” Diggle asked.

“I need to do something first. I will meet you at the airport.” Oliver stood up.

“You should change, you know.” Lance said. “It’s daylight out there. You’ll definitely be arrested running around like that.”

Oliver looked down. He was still in his leathers. He laughed. He had been so worried he had never changed back to his street clothes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Anatoli’s driver pulled up to a posh house in an affluent neighborhood of Moscow. Felicity didn’t even know there were neighborhoods like this in Moscow.

The bodyguard stepped out and opened the door for Felicity.

“Where have you been? Who is she?” A tall auburn haired woman asked Anatoli in Russian as he stepped out of the car. She had been standing on the front steps when they pulled up.

“Sophie, I had to pick someone up from the airport. This is Felicity Smoak. She is Oliver Queen’s woman. You are to treat her as you would any other Bratva captain’s wife. She is staying here until he gets here.” Anatoli answered her in Russian.

“Why did she come ahead and why does she look a mess?” The woman asked.

“She was kidnapped. Apparently the idiot didn’t realize who they were dealing with.” Anatoli laughed. “Idiot is in the trunk.”

“Dead?” Sophie gave him an exasperated look.  

“No but I have a feeling when he gets here, she will be.” Anatoli chuckled. “He has a really nasty temper that one.”

“A woman?” Sophie looked surprised.

“Idiots come in both sexes, Sophie. Call the doctor and have him come to take a look at her. She doesn’t speak Russian so someone will have to be with her.” Anatoli told her.

“I’ll do it.” Sophie said.

Felicity had been looking back and forth between the two but they were speaking in Russian the whole time. By their body language she suspected the woman was Anatoli’s wife or at least his mistress. 

Sophie turned to Felicity and smiled. “I am Sophie. I am Anatoli’s wife. Come. I will show you where you can rest until the doctor comes.”

“Doctor? I don’t need a doctor.” Felicity said.

“It’s just to make sure they didn’t hurt you. Oliver wants you to be looked over.” Anatoli said in English. “See if you can find her something to wear.”

“I have just the thing. It will put a smile on her man’s face when he sees her in it.” Sophie smiled. “Do you like pink, Felicity?”

Felicity nodded hesitantly. She looked at Anatoli and he waved her toward Sophie. Felicity let the woman guide her towards the door.

“Thank you for helping me.” Felicity said to Anatoli before going inside.

“I’m just glad I found you in time.” Anatoli said.

Felicity frowned at that. She had no idea what he meant.

Felicity followed Sophie into the house. It was just as posh on the inside as it was on the outside. She followed Sophie to a guest room. It was decorated in pinks and lavenders.

“You can rest here. I need to tell the maid to bring you fresh clothes and something to eat. I will be right back.” Sophie stepped out of the room and yelled something in Russian.

Felicity walked over to a full length mirror and looked at herself. Her hair was a mess. Her dress was ruined and there were scuff marks on her pumps. She looked like a disaster.

Felicity turned around and looked at the bruise on her calf. It was as round as a half dollar and already bluish purple. It was no wonder that it hurt.

She sat down on an upholstered chair and started to cry. It was more from relief than from anything else. Soon Oliver would be there and she would go home. That was all she could think of now.   

Anatoli and his men had waited until the women were inside before they took a bound and gagged Isabel out of the trunk. She fought as the pulled her out.

The bodyguard threw Isabel over his shoulder and followed Anatoli into the cellar through a door at the west side of the house. She would be kept in the cellar until Oliver arrived.

Sophie came back in with an armful of clothes. “Are you all right? You are safe now there is no need to cry.”

“I know but I can’t help it.” Felicity said. She wiped her eyes roughly.

“Here are some warm things and a little something for him too.” Sophie put some clothes on the bed. She smiled as she held up a white silk teddy.

“We aren’t like that.” Felicity said. “We are just…”

“I was told to treat you as a Bratva captain’s wife. That is what I will do until Anatoli tells me not to.” Sophie said. “Anatoli speaks of Oliver Queen with high regard. That means something. He also says your man is deadly. I would rather stay on his good side.”

Felicity nodded. “Oliver can be very deadly when he needs to be.”

“Anatoli says he doesn’t like guns but kills with his bare hands. He has killed many this way.” Sophie said. “Is that true?”

“He prefers a bow and arrows to a gun.” Felicity said. She got up from the chair and went to look at the clothes on the bed. “Thank you for the clothes.”

Sophie smiled. “We both have dangerous men. They are hard to love but we do it anyway.”

Felicity picked up a sweater and looked at Sophie. “Does it bother you what he does and how much violence is around him?”

“Only when he is hurt or I think I could lose him.” Sophie said. “My fear is he will die and take my heart with him. You have the same fear, I think.”

Felicity sighed. “I do every time he is hurt.”

There was a knock at the door. A maid said something in Russian and Sophie nodded.

“The doctor is here to look at you. I will stay with you. He doesn’t speak English.” Sophie said.

“Thank you.” Felicity said.

Oliver arrived at the airport with an overnight bag and a duffle. He had a serious look on his face. He pulled the car to a stop next to Diggle

Diggle was already waiting at the private air strip. His bag was sitting at his feet. He had taken a cab as soon as he had everything packed.

“It’s all gassed up and ready to go. You think we should have brought her some things?” Diggle said.

Oliver held up the overnight bag. “I picked up a few things at her place. If I forgot something we can just get it there. I had to get her passport anyway.”

“She isn’t going to like it that you went through her dainties.” Diggle joked.

Oliver winced. “Dig I didn’t even look at her … dainties. I just grabbed stuff that look like it matched.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Diggle asked. “Did you bring her a coat?”

“It’s in the back seat with her work bag. It’s the one she wore last time.” Oliver said as he handed the overnight bag to Diggle. He reached in and grabbed them.   

“Is that the errand you had to do this morning?” Diggle asked as they walked to the plane.

“No I had to go see legal and get something.” Oliver said.

“Sounds ominous.” Diggle joked.

“It will be for Isabel. I had legal draw up a stock transfer. She is never coming back to Q.C, after this.” Oliver said.

“She won’t go down without a fight. She wants Q.C. all to herself.” Diggle said.

“She can’t have it if she’s dead.” Oliver said flatly.

Diggle inhaled sharply. He knew that Oliver had killed for Felicity before but that was in the heat of the moment. To kill for her in cold blood was an entirely different thing.

They got on the plane and they were in the air in less than an hour.

When the doctor left, Felicity took a long hot shower and put on the clothes that Sophie had brought her. The baggy sweater and loose fitting slacks were comfortable and practical.

She emerged from the bathroom to find a tray of food waiting for her. She sipped the hot coffee and sighed. Felicity curled up on the bed to finish the food. 

It would be a while before Oliver arrived. She looked around for something to do in the meantime. The books in the room were all in Cyrillic and there was no television.

She wondered how Sophie spent her time with no distractions. She knew that she could never be a ‘kept’ woman. She needed to feel useful and busy.

With the tray empty, Felicity decided to take a nap. She put the tray on a nearby table. She took off her glasses and put them on the bedside table. She climbed back onto the bed and pulled one of the blankets over her. It wasn’t too long before she was drifting off to sleep.

In the cellar, Anatoli’s man was guarding the woman tied to the chair in front of him. He had a hard look on his face as one of the maids brought food down on a tray.

“What are you doing down here?” The bodyguard asked.

“She needs to eat Sergei.” The woman said.

“Doesn’t matter if she does. She will be dead soon.” Sergei said with a smirk.

“You don’t know that.” The woman said.

“Anna, he is the one Anatoli talks about. He is the one who kills with his bare hands. That man is the one that even Anatoli fears. He is coming to kill her himself.”

The woman looked at Isabel with pity. “She will be dead when he gets here but for now I have to give her food.”

“I can’t untie her.” Sergei pulled Isabel’s gag down.

“Good enough.” Anna said.

“Please. I have money. I can pay you. Let me go.” Isabel begged in Russian.

“You won’t get far if that is the man I have heard of.” Sergei said. “Besides you have no money on you. I already looked.”

“She would be dead before we got paid.” Anna said. “It’s not sounding too good for you. You’re lucky the woman upstairs wasn’t hurt. He would probably make you die slowly and in much pain if she were.”

Sergei laughed. “He still might. You were stupid to take a Bratva captain’s woman. Especially that Bratva captain.” 

“What? He isn’t Bratva. He’s an American.” Isabel said. “He’s a rich entitled American.”

Sergei looked at her. “You are even more stupid than I thought. What is it that Americans say? You fuck up.”

Anna shoved the sandwich at her. “You better eat now.”

Isabel shook her head. “I don’t want it. Please let me go.”

The door opened. Anatoli came into the room. “No one is letting you go because if they did, I would kill them. So this is the whore that has been giving my friend problems. At least you will make a pretty corpse. Put the gag back on her. She doesn’t need to eat.”

“But I was told to feed her.” Anna said.

“My wife is soft-hearted. It’s a waste of food to feed a dead woman.” Anatoli said. “Go back upstairs and don’t come back down.”

Anna nodded. She collected the tray and left quickly.

“I am fond of Felicity. I met her when she was here with Oliver. She is a woman worthy of Oliver Queen. Brave, smart and beautiful.” Anatoli said. “I would have killed you on the spot but he wants you alive. But I know him. You won’t live long.”

Isabel tried to fight as Sergei pulled the gag back up.

“I will check back later. Keep an eye on her and check her bonds. The last thing we need is for her to escape. I don’t even want to think what he would do to us.” Anatoli said as he walked to the door.

Sergei nodded. He checked the tape and the ropes to make sure they were secure.

Anatoli nodded and left.

The door slammed and the sound of a heavy bolt was heard sliding in the hasp.

Sergei leaned back on the door to wait.

Isabel tried to reconcile what she had just heard with the Oliver Queen she knew. None of it made any sense. They spoke his name with reverence tinged with fear. That was not the man she knew. The man she knew attended parties, got drunk and slept with random women. The man she knew wasn’t a killer. She wondered if she even knew the real Oliver Queen. She was beginning to believe she didn’t.

Felicity woke up in a dark room. She started to panic then remembered where she was. She sat up and switched on the lamp sitting on the bedside table. She put on her glasses. 

She couldn’t tell what time it was but she assumed Oliver would be there soon. The flight to Russia was long but she assumed he had put the plane on standby as soon as he realized she was gone.

She wondered if she should try to leave her room of just wait until someone came for her. What was the protocol for staying as a guest in a mobster’s home?

Felicity almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to be in her own apartment or at least the lair.

There was a limo waiting for Oliver and Diggle at the airport. They were taken straight to Anatoli’s home.

Oliver looked over at Diggle. “I know what you’re thinking. You think I should let it go. Felicity is safe and I should just take her home.”

“Look man, I didn’t say a word.” Diggle said.

“I know but I could almost hear you thinking it. Anatoli said that there was something he needed to tell me. I have a feeling I’m not going to like what I hear.” Oliver said.

“What could it be?” Diggle asked.

“This is Russia. It could be anything and most of them are bad.” Oliver said. “Several of them I would kill Isabel for.”

Oliver looked up as the car slowed to a stop to see Anatoli standing on the front steps. Oliver was out of the car as soon as it stopped.

“Oliver, I wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances.” Anatoli greeted him.

“I understand. Where is she?” Oliver asked.

“She is resting.” Anatoli said. “My wife has taken care of her. John it is good to see you too.”

Diggle nodded. “Business must be good. This is a nice place you have here.”

Anatoli laughed. “If you only knew how good. Come inside both of you.”

Sophie walked into the foyer from the living room. She looked both men up and down.

“This is my wife, Sophie. This is Oliver Queen and his associate, John Diggle. Bring his woman to us in the living room. He needs to see that she is well.” Anatoli said.

Sophie smiled. “She was asleep when I looked in last but I will see if she is awake.”

“Thank you.” Oliver said.

“Come. We will wait in the living room.” Anatoli said. He waved them into the room his wife had come out of. “I have to tell you something before the women get here.”

“I remember you said there was something more on the phone.” Oliver said as he sat down on the sofa.

Diggle sat down next to Oliver. He could tell Anatoli was nervous about what he was going to say.

“This woman, Isabel Rochev, was meeting two men from a local brothel. The place is on the outskirts of Moscow. It’s not in a good part of town, if you know what I mean. They said that they were there to pick up merchandise. A woman. The description matched Felicity. Oliver, this is not a place for any woman. They are regularly beaten, drugged, and chained to the bed. The men who go there would never be allowed in decent brothels.” Anatoli told him.

“No one has shut this place down?” Diggle asked.

“It is frequented by some government officials. That is why it has never been raided by Russian police.” Anatoli said. “I have dealt with this place. I occasionally get asked to get one of the girls out of there. It’s someone’s sister or daughter who has fallen in with the wrong people. They sometimes find that the girl they were looking for is dead or broken beyond saving.”

“Isabel sold her to these people?” Diggle looked at Oliver.

Oliver had been silent since they had sat down. Diggle saw the telltale muscle ticking in Oliver’s jaw. He knew his friend was trying to assimilate what he had just heard and what had almost happened to Felicity.

“Where are the men that were there to take her?” Oliver said finally.

“Dead. Sergei and I killed them before the plane landed.” Anatoli said. “The woman thought that I was from the brothel when she got off the plane. Oliver, Felicity had gotten her hands untied already. She kicked the man’s knee out that was guarding her. She was ready to make a run for it. She saw me and stopped.”

“I taught her that.” Diggle said. “I wanted her to be able to get away if she needed to. I guess it worked.”

Oliver looked at Diggle. There was gratitude in his eyes.

“The guard fell face first. Sergei shot him in the head. The woman didn’t put up that much of a struggle when we put her in the trunk. We had her hands and feet bound.” Anatoli told them.

Felicity walked into the room and ran towards Oliver. Oliver stood up just as she collided with his chest.

“Felicity.” Oliver whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. “I was worried.”

Felicity tilted her head up to look at him. “She was going to try to make you marry her then kill you. I was in her way. Oliver, she said someone was going to pay her to take me off her hands. I couldn’t figure out what that meant.”

“She was just trying to frighten you.” Oliver pulled her closer. He looked at Anatoli and Diggle over Felicity’s head. “I want you to go rest and I will come to see you when we finish with things. Dig will stay with you.”

“Are you going to kill her?” Felicity whispered against his chest. “I don’t want you to kill her. Not for me.”

“I won’t kill her but I will make sure she doesn’t come back to Starling City or to Q.C. ever again. Go rest.” Oliver said as he let go of her.

“Hi Dig.” Felicity hugged Diggle.

“Hey.” Diggle hugged her back. “You did good. Anatoli told us how you handled yourself. I’m proud of you.”

“But someone grabbed me.” Felicity said. “They must have drugged me with a needle or a dart of some kind.”

“No more going there alone. Someone will always be there to meet you in your car from now on.” Oliver said. “Agreed?”

Felicity nodded. She wasn’t going to argue with him at least not now.

“Go on. Anatoli and I need to talk now.” Oliver said.

Felicity and Diggle followed Sophie back to the pink and lavender room to wait.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Anatoli looked at Oliver. He asked Oliver in Russian. “What are you going to do?”

“Felicity doesn’t want her dead. I can’t kill her but I have to make her pay for this. I’m taking her out of Queen Consolidated but I think there should be something a little more extreme.” Oliver replied in Russian.

“Uri and Ivan Petrakos are business men. They are waiting for merchandise. Send her there. If she is a woman with money she can easily buy herself out.” Anatoli said.

Oliver leaned back on the sofa. “Is there a guarantee that they will take payment? They have already had to wait almost twenty four hours for what they have already paid for.”

“They’re in it for the money. They care only about that. They will let her pay her way out. It will cost her a great deal of money. Does she have that kind of resources?” Anatoli asked.

“She does but I want to make sure of a few things first. I will need Felicity to do a little hacking and some other things.” Oliver said. “When she is done, I will deal with Isabel.”

“Sergei and his wife may have said something about you being a ruthless killer.” Anatoli smiled.

Oliver frowned.

“Sophie sent food down to her with Anna, Sergei’s wife. They mentioned you were ruthless Bratva captain.” Anatoli grinned. “It may be to your advantage.”  

Oliver smiled. “Then I will be a ruthless Bratva captain. It’s not that far from the truth. I haven’t been killing like I once did but I am still a killer.”

“Except in Felicity’s eyes. She sees your good heart.” Anatoli said. “You try harder for her. I see the love between you. She will keep you sane when the demons come into your head.”

“She already does. She is not what I expected to find after the island and the freighter. I never thought I would ever be worthy of a woman’s love again.” Oliver said.

“Were you ever?” Anatoli chuckled.

“No I guess I wasn’t.” Oliver laughed. Oliver stood up and stretched. “I need to get her started.”

“Go do what you need to do. That woman in the cellar is not going anywhere.” Anatoli said. “Sergei is down there keeping her company. Just so you know, he is a little afraid of you.”

Oliver smiled. “That will work in my favor later.”

“Sophie will have supper for us soon. I‘m sure you are hungry after all this excitement.” Anatoli smiled.

“I am a little.” Oliver admitted with a grin. “I haven’t eaten since Felicity was taken. I was too worried.”

“She is safe now and Sophie is a good cook. You will see.” Anatoli said.

Oliver left the living room and looked down the hall for Diggle. He saw him standing next to a door way. Oliver went down to speak to him.

“Which room is she in?” Oliver asked as he walked up.

“That one.” Diggle pointed to the door behind him. “She told me to stay out here and try to talk you out of killing Isabel.”

“I’m not going to kill her but I am going to scare the shit out of her. Anatoli has given me a reputation that will work well for me. I’m going to need Felicity’s help with some things first.” Oliver looked at the door and hesitated.

Diggle nodded. “She thought as much. I think she was about to check out the wifi signal when I left her. Anatoli’s wife told me the room across the hall is mine for the night.”

“Did she say where mine is?” Oliver said.

Diggle grinned. “Felicity said your bag was put in her room. I guess they think you two are sleeping together.” 

“I don’t understand.” Oliver said.

“Felicity said that Sophie was told to treat her like a Bratva captain’s wife.” Diggle smirked.

“I see.” Oliver frowned. “Did Felicity seem upset about it?”

“No. I think she has other things on her mind, like what you are going to do to Isabel.” Diggle frowned.      

Oliver nodded. “Sophie will have supper for us soon.”

“Russian food?” Diggle asked.

“I don’t know.” Oliver knocked on the door. “Felicity, may I come in?”

“Yes!” Felicity called out from the other side of the door.

Oliver went inside and found her sitting on the bed cross-legged looking at her tablet. “Something wrong?”

“No just checking the news feeds. I was looking to see if I had made the news.” Felicity said. “I suppose you have a plan.”

“Are you sure that’s all because I see they put my bag in here with yours.” Oliver said.

“They think I’m your girlfriend or something.” Felicity said. “Why is that?”

“Because if you weren’t, there wouldn’t have been this much fuss over you. You are important to me, you know.” Oliver said. “Do you want me to see if there is another room?”

“No. The bed is huge and I think I would like the company. I still feel a little shaky.” Felicity said. “If that’s ok with you.”

“I will be glad to keep you company tonight. For right now, I need you to wipe all of Isabel’s passwords and access codes from the Q.C. servers.” Oliver said as he sat on the chair.

“How is that going to work? Wont she need them when she gets back to work?” Felicity asked.

“I told you she isn’t coming back. I had legal draw up a stock transfer agreement. That is why I want all of her access purged now.” Oliver said.

“Wow! You weren’t kidding.” Felicity said. “I will have to bounce this off the servers in the lair to hack into Q.C.. There will be a lag but I think it shouldn’t take that long. Was there anything else you wanted?”

“Not yet. I have a plan but I want to make sure of a few things first.” Oliver said.

“Oliver, you know what she was going to do to me, don’t you?” Felicity looked at him seriously.

“Yes. I have been told some things that I will tell you when the time is right. I want to take this one step at a time. There can’t be any mistakes by either of us. We need to keep our emotions in control at least for now.” Oliver said cryptically.  

Felicity frowned. “It was that bad?”

“It was very bad.” Oliver said. “I should kill her for even thinking of it but I won’t only because you asked.”

“Thank you.” Felicity said. “I know sometimes it’s easier to just go all grr. I kinda want to go all grr on her too and I don’t even have all the facts. Do you want me to check for activity on the passwords over the last seventy two hours?”

“That may be a good idea. I hope there isn’t any but it may be a good idea to check.” Oliver said. “I need to talk to Dig a minute.

“I’ll be done here in about twenty minutes.” Felicity said. “Then I will be ready for the next step of the plan. At least I feel useful now.”

Oliver stood up and went back into the hallway.

Diggle was waiting for Oliver to come out. “Well, she didn’t yell.”

“I’m going to stay with her. I think she just needs to feel safe tonight. You can get some rest tonight.” Oliver said. “I’m going to let Isabel stew until morning.”

“Maybe you should have that talk with her.” Diggle said as he headed for the door of his room. “You know the one you were going to have with her before she got grabbed.”

“I will. I can’t put it off anymore after all this.” Oliver said. “The way she has been given special treatment and some things Sophie said to her have raised some questions. Then there is me staying with her in the same room.”

“Nope. No more putting it off when you’re sharing a bed.” Diggle raised an eyebrow at him. “Some talking better happen before anything else does.”

“I know.” Oliver watched as Diggle closed the door to his room. He knocked on the door to the room he was going to share with Felicity and went in.

“So far there hasn’t been anything out of the ordinary in the system. I have a few more things to check. There is a thing on her schedule for tomorrow. It’s a meeting with the head of applied sciences.” Felicity said.  

“She wanted to see if he could tighten up his budget. I thought the budget was already too tight.” Oliver said. “I was supposed to attend that.”

“Considering what they do, I think you’re right. I’ll reschedule it, in any case” Felicity said. “I have to check the discretionary fund access code. You are worried she took funds from the company aren’t you.”

“Yes. I am.” Oliver said. “Felicity, you know we never got to have that talk.”

“The talk where you tell me that you love me and I tell you that I love you? That is the talk you mean, isn’t it?” Felicity tilted her head at him. “Why is it that everyone can see it but us? I don’t understand. It was the reason that Isabel took me. She thinks we were in love.”

Oliver hesitated for a moment. “Are we?”

Felicity wrinkled her nose. “Yeah. I guess we are. That doesn’t mean we have to go there.”

“What if I want to go there?” Oliver said. “What if I want to see where it goes with us?”

“What happened to that ‘because of the life I live’ speech thing?” Felicity asked.

“I think I was kidding myself that I could do that when clearly my actions give me away.” Oliver said. “If we didn’t look so much like a couple already then you would have never been a target for Isabel.”

“Do you snore?” Felicity asked. “Because I’m not sure if I can handle that.”

“I hardly even sleep.” Oliver said. “I doubt I snore.”

“Still? Because I would have thought you could sleep a little now. The island was a long time ago. Well your first time there was at least.” Felicity said. “I guess there were more scary things there than I thought.”

“I still have nightmares.” Oliver admitted. “I think I always will. Some things just never leave you even after you leave them.”

“I have nightmares too sometimes.” Felicity said. “Mostly the glades falling on top of me.”

Oliver winced. “That one is my fault.”

“No! I chose to stay so that is not on you.” Felicity said. “I won’t let you be guilty for my choices.”

Oliver nodded. “I will be anyway. It’s my nature.”

“You need to get away from that.” Felicity said. She patted the bed for him to sit down.

“I’ll try.” Oliver said. He eased himself onto the bed beside her. He put his hand on her back and rubbed slow circles. “We have other things to talk about too.”

“Like sex?” Felicity said. “We need some time as a couple first.”

“Well! This talk is going a lot better than I thought it would.” Oliver said.

Felicity chuckled. “You were worried I would be upset because you want a romantic relationship now instead of just a professional one?”

“I was a little concerned.” Oliver said. “I made such a big deal out of not wanting a relationship. Then I gave you a hard time about Barry.”

“You were jealous. I get that now.” Felicity looked at him.

“I was an ass.” Oliver admitted. “I’m sorry.”

Felicity chuckled. “Yes you were.”

Oliver laughed. 

Felicity looked at the screen in front of her. “That was the last one. She is completely out of the system. What was the next thing you wanted me to do?”

“I want you to add some names to her holding company. Uri and Ivan Petrakos.” Oliver said. “Make sure their names are on the incorporation applications and all other filings.”

“Who are they?” Felicity asked.

“They are brothers that are not the most upstanding citizens.” Oliver said. “That is all for right now. I will have you monitor Isabel’s accounts tomorrow so we can get more information on the brothers.”

Felicity nodded. “You want their dirty dealings associated with Isabel’s holding company so she looks as dirty as they do.”

“That is the plan.” Oliver said. “When we have the information we need, I want you to send an anonymous tip to Interpol.”

“Not the Russian police?” Felicity was confused. “Wouldn’t they be better to handle it?”

“No. There are government officials involved. Interpol would be better.” Oliver said.

“Got it.” Felicity looked over her shoulder at him. “She will be arrested as a coconspirator in their business operations.”

“Yes but she has dealt with them and that is the point.” Oliver said.

“I think I like this plan.” Felicity said.  

There was a knock on the door. Oliver called out in Russian.

Sophie opened the door. She spoke in Russian to Oliver. “Anatoli thought a late supper would be nice. I have it ready, if you’re hungry. Has your man gone to bed?”

“He will be still awake. I will tell him of your hospitality. Thank you for your care of my woman.” Oliver said.

“It was an honor to do it for such a good friend of my husband.” Sophie said. In English she said. “Felicity and I have many things in common.”

Felicity smiled at Sophie. “We do.”

“We will be right there.” Oliver said.

Sophie nodded and closed the door.

“She was calling us to supper.” Oliver said. He stood up and stretched. “I need to see if Dig is still awake. I told him she was going to have supper for us but he may have crashed. I’ll meet you in the hallway.”

“I am sorta hungry come to think of it.” Felicity said.

Oliver slipped out into the hallway.

Felicity locked her tablet and got up to put it in her bag.

She looked at Oliver’s bag on the floor and wondered what was going to happen with them. Would it be a good idea to do what they were thinking of doing? A romantic relationship was a big step and an even bigger mess if it went wrong. She could only hope they would keep things from getting out of hand.

She came out into the hall as Diggle and Oliver came out of the room across the hall.

“I’m glad the two of you are talking about stuff.” Diggle said. “It was starting to get kinda ridiculous.”

Felicity raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean ‘ridiculous’?”

“The longing stares, the lovers spats and all the touching.” Diggle grinned mischievously. “Especially the touching.”

“All you have to look forward to is all the kissing now.” Felicity said and started to walk away.

“Did she say kissing?” Diggle asked.

“Yes Dig, she did. I think I’m going to enjoy the kissing.” Oliver teased.

“We need a signal you know like a sock on the door for when you two are …” Diggle made a face.

Oliver stared at him.

“Are you two just going to stand there?” Felicity asked. “Sophie is waiting on us.”

Oliver smiled and started to walk towards Felicity leaving Diggle to follow.

The dining room was decorated in reds and browns. The large rectangular table in the center was laid for five.

Anatoli and Sophie were already seated at one end. Anatoli stood as Oliver and Felicity came into the room.

“Sit at the other end, my friend.” Anatoli told him. “It is an honor to have you in my home. All of you.”

Oliver helped Felicity with her chair. She was next to Sophie at the table. Diggle was across the table from the ladies.

“I shall have to return the favor when you and Sophie come to visit us.” Oliver said. He put his napkin in his lap.

“I think a trip to America may be fun. What so you think, dearest?” Anatoli grinned.

“I want to go shopping.” Sophie said. “The shopping here still like it was in the old Soviet days.”

Felicity smiled mischievously. “I think a little shopping would be fun. Oliver, since I’m officially your girlfriend now, does that mean I can use your credit cards?”

Anatoli and Diggle laughed at Oliver’s shocked face.

“I… uh… We will talk about it.” Oliver blushed.

“She has you now, my friend. We will come for the wedding.” Anatoli said in Russian.

“You told me they were already married.” Sophie said in English. “Boy was I surprised when Felicity said they weren’t. Men! They always think they own us when we like them a little.”

“You like me a lot.” Anatoli said. He reached over and took his wife’s hand.

“Maybe I do sometimes and maybe I don’t sometimes too.” Sophie teased him.

Felicity smiled at Oliver. “I have days like that too with Oliver.”

Oliver held his hands up in mock surrender and grinned. “I am at your mercy.”

“Good that he knows that now before you marry him. Cause he will be afterwards. I am always at the mercy of my beautiful wife. Sometimes it’s quite enjoyable.” Anatoli laughed. He winked at Oliver.

“Anatoli! Don’t be crude.” Sophie said.

Anna came in with a tray with the first course.

“It is time to eat then you all must rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a stressful day.” Anatoli said looking straight at Oliver.

They dug into the fabulous meal and retired to their room to rest. It was going to be a stressful day indeed. Especially for Isabel when Oliver got finished with her.  


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Oliver hesitated at the door of the pink and lavender room.

“What side of the bed do you want?” Felicity asked.

“I want the side closest to the door.” Oliver said as he shut the door and took a step inside.

She went to her overnight bag and looked inside. She looked up at Oliver. “Who packed this?”

“I did. Did I forget something?” Oliver asked.

“You brought date underwear not my cottons.” She pulled a short bright pink nightie out of the bag. “And you packed this. I haven’t worn this in ages.”

“It was in your drawer. I have no idea what you sleep in.” Oliver said.

Felicity looked at him. She could see he was nervous about sleeping with her. She was just as nervous as he was. She started to doubt that a relationship would be a good idea.

“Do you want one of my tee shirts instead?” Oliver offered. 

“No. It’s ok. I know you tried.” Felicity said. “Oliver, are you sure you want to do this with me?”

Oliver nodded. “I almost lost it when we realized you had been taken. I don’t want to lose you and I don’t want to never have a chance with you.”

“What does that mean?” Felicity asked.

“If something had happened and I had never gotten to tell you how I feel. I think it would have made me insane.” Oliver walked over to her and cupped her cheek with his calloused hand. “I love you, more than I thought I could ever love anyone, more that I can even explain.”

Felicity leaned into his palm. She closed her eyes. She had waited so long to hear something like that from him that it was hard to believe.

“I just don’t want to lose our friendship.” Felicity said softly.

“We won’t.” Oliver said. He moved closer to her.

“You don’t know that. Anything could happen between us.” Felicity looked up into his eyes. They were dark and filled with desire. She reached up and rubbed her hand on his stubble. “I just don’t want to ruin anything. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t ever lose me.” Oliver whispered as he closed the gap between them. He leaned down and kissed her slowly.

Felicity reached up and put her arms around his neck.

Oliver slid his hand into her hair and moved his mouth over hers to get a better taste of her.

Felicity moaned and leaned against his chest. Her fingers gently pulled at his hair as she opened her mouth to his tongue. Their tongues tasted and tangled until they were breathless.

There was a low rumbling in Oliver’s chest as she pulled away. He reluctantly let her go.

“I’ll go change first.” Felicity said. She held up the pink nightie. “I may have to sleep close to you. This isn’t warm and it’s Russia.”

Oliver just nodded. He was still too dazed from the kiss to do more than that. It had moved him in a way he didn’t expect. Yes, it was sexy but there was a feeling of truth and love along with that.

That one kiss made him understand the true depths of his feelings for her. With that came the realization of what he had almost lost. It chilled him.

Felicity closed the door to the bathroom and leaned against it. She had tried to play it cool with him but she knew if he started to make love to her now she wouldn’t stop him. She couldn’t stop him.

All of the boundaries they had erected were slowly disintegrating before her. Soon there would be nothing to hold them back.

Was it what she wanted? She wasn’t sure. He was dangerous and she could lose him so easily. But having him now would be better than never knowing what it would be like to be loved by Oliver Queen.  

Felicity put the pink nightie on and stepped into the bedroom.

Oliver was sitting on the bed waiting for her. “You look beautiful. You always look beautiful but I …. It’s just I see it more now.”

Felicity smiled. She realized he was more nervous about staying here with her than she first thought. She walked over and held his head between her hands.

“I promise I won’t take advantage of you in your sleep.” Felicity planted a soft kiss to his lips and stepped back.

“I have to change.” Oliver said. He picked up a tee shirt and pajama pants from beside him on the bed. “Felicity, I don’t think I would mind it if you did.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise as he walked into the bathroom.  She knew they were in deep now. Someone had to be the voice of reason but she wasn’t sure it would be her.

She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her. She hated the nightie he had packed. It had a tendency to ride up in the middle of the night. She was pretty sure he may actually help it along at some point. 

Oliver came out of the bathroom and walked over to the bed. He hesitated until Felicity raised the covers for him to get in. She scooted over to him once he was settled. They lay face to face on their sides.

“You never told me how you know Anatoli. Where did you meet?” Felicity asked as she faced him.

“On the freighter. He was one of Ivo’s captives. I helped him escape and I captured Ivo. I saved his life.” Oliver said.

“You didn’t leave the island with him?” Felicity asked.

“No.” Oliver brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. “I don’t like to talk about those horrible things with you. I don’t want you to think less of me.”

Felicity put her hand on his chest. “That will never happen. You did what you had to do to survive. Sure. it was violent and there were people dead at the end of it but you did what you had to.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Oliver took her hand off his chest and kissed it.

“Don’t ever say that. I’m not perfect.” Felicity said. “I’ve been right beside you through most of the vigilante things. I didn’t walk away even though I knew what you did was dangerous and deadly. I could have left but I stayed and helped. I am just as responsible as you are.”

Oliver winced and his mouth tightened. “I should have never let you in on this thing I do.”

“I chose to do it.” Felicity moved closer. “I fell in love with the good man that I see making a difference.”

“You make me want to do better, be better. I need to feel worthy of you. I know that shouldn’t be how I feel, but it is.” Oliver kissed her hand again and looked into her eyes. “Somehow you are in every part of my life. I need that. I need you. I love you.”

Felicity reached out and stroked his cheek. “I love you and you don’t have to change for me.”

Oliver leaned toward her and kissed her.

The kiss was slow and deep like before but after the words they said it meant even more. Felicity was the one that closed the distance between them. She leaned against his warm chest and let the kiss linger as long as possible. 

They lay breathless with their foreheads touching. Their breath mingled and there was a quiet peace that settled between them.

Once the words had been spoken that had been denied for so long, it was as if the world suddenly became brighter and less scary. It was a strange sensation that neither of them expected.

“Felicity, come closer. I want to hold you in my arms while you sleep.” Oliver rolled over on his back.

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Felicity snuggled against his chest as he pulled the covers up and wrapped his arms around her.

“Warm enough?” Oliver whispered into her hair.

“Yes.” Felicity whispered. “Hmm. You’re really warm.”

Oliver chuckled. He rubbed her bare arm under the covers. “Close your eyes and go to sleep.”

“You too.” Felicity whispered as she rubbed his chest.

“I’ll try.” Oliver closed his eyes and started to relax for the first time in a long time.

The knocking on the door woke Oliver up several hours later. Oliver opened his eyes and looked around. He was surprised to see it was morning. He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep. He looked down at Felicity on his chest still sleeping. She was holding on to his waist and she had put a leg over his.

Oliver started to wake her as the door opened to reveal Diggle.

“Oliver I thought you two would be awake already. I can come back.” Diggle said. He thought they looked even more like a married couple now.   

Oliver shook his head. He looked at Felicity again. He looked back at Diggle. “Maybe give us a few minutes. She’s still asleep.”

“Sure.” Diggle nodded and shut the door. 

“Hey Felicity?” Oliver brushed her hair away from her face. 

“Hum?” Felicity shifted but didn’t open her eyes.

“Wake up. its morning.” Oliver said. He smiled as her eyes opened slowly.  

Felicity raised her head and looked at him. “Really?”

“Yeah really. Dig just knocked. I have to go handle Isabel.” Oliver said as she pulled away from him.

“Oliver, did you sleep any?” Felicity asked.

“Yeah I did. It must have been the company.” Oliver smiled and gave her a quick kiss before getting out of bed.

Felicity pulled the covers over her head and groaned. “I don’t want to get out of here. It’s warm.”

Oliver laughed. “So you really aren’t a morning person.”

Her response was muffled by the pile of covers. “NO!”

Oliver laughed again and grabbed some clothes to shower and change. “I’ll go first then you have to get up for sure.”

“Take your time.” Felicity’s hand waved at him from the edge of the covers.

Oliver showered and dressed. He came back into the bedroom to find felicity wrapped in a blanket looking at her tablet.

“Do I look scary enough?” Oliver asked with a grin.

“Make your grr face and you will.” Felicity said as she glanced up. “There was a police report filed about the men Anatoli killed at the airport. They were local thugs. It doesn’t look like they are too anxious to solve the case.”

“I doubt they will even try.” Oliver said. “The police have very limited resources here.”  

“I checked the SCPD servers and there was a missing person report filed by Isabel’s assistant. She hasn’t been gone that long has she?” Felicity asked.  

“I guess she has been out of touch for at least forty-eight hours. It says something that the only one to notice would be her assistant.” Oliver said.

“Don’t feel sorry for her. She doesn’t deserve it.” Felicity pointed her finger at him.

Oliver smiled at the gesture. “I don’t feel sorry for her but it says something about her that no one is worried except the person that she hired to keep track of her schedule.”

“I would worry if you were missing.” Felicity said.

“That’s different. You and I are…” Oliver frowned. “We mean something to each other. I doubt her assistant has any feelings for her at all. What is the girl’s name?”

“Judy. I’ve talked to her a few times. She really can’t stand Isabel but she needs the paycheck. Her husband is in rehab for a back injury.” Felicity told him.

“She will need a new job after this. I will talk to Frank Mitchell. He is going to need a new EA. His is about to retire.”

“See! There is that good heart.” Felicity smiled.

“Caught me!” Oliver grinned. “I’ll be back in a little bit. I need you to monitor Isabel’s accounts. Trace any large transactions to where they end. I need an account number for the Brothers Petrakos.”

“Got it. Are you going to tell me what has you so secretive after I do that?” Felicity asked.

“Yes. I will.” Oliver nodded. “Get dressed. I will be gone for a little while but I’m leaving Dig here.”

“Oh-kay.” Felicity took a breath then decided to say what was on her mind. “Oliver, you should rethink that because you need backup. Anatoli’s men may be good but they aren’t Dig.”

“I will be careful.” Oliver leaned over and kissed her. His hand caressed her shoulder. “Besides he may attract a little unwanted attention.”

Felicity nodded. She watched him go out into the hall. She could see Diggle waiting for him there.

Felicity could tell whatever he was hiding from her was eating at him. She couldn’t remember seeing him that scared in a long time. It bothered her. it made her have flashbacks of the Count and those three arrows.

Oliver looked at Diggle as he shut the door. “Whatever I do, just go along with it. She isn’t going to die but it still won’t be pleasant for her.”

“I’m in. She took Felicity and that affects all of us. Remember what Lance said? Sister - Daughter - Wife.  She’s like my little sister.” Diggle said with a serious face.   

“If Isabel had done this to Thea, Felicity would be the only one able to keep me from killing her.” Oliver said. “I’m leaving you here when I take her where I’m taking her. You are a little too noticeable.”

“I remember that from last time I was here.” Diggle smirked. “It was a bit of a shock but I get it.”

Oliver nodded. “Let me get my coat and then we can go to the cellar.”

“Oliver, have you decided what to do with her?” Anatoli asked in Russian as he walked up to them.

“Yes. I’m going to take that suggestion you gave me. I am also going to need to borrow Sergei.” Oliver said seriously.

Anatoli nodded. “He’s yours.”

“Thanks.” Oliver said. “Dig is staying here with Felicity. I need to get this done. Ready?”

Anatoli laughed. “Let’s go scare the shit out of her.”

Diggle was getting used to them talking in Russian. He assumed Oliver was doing it so he wouldn’t know what he was really going to do and try to talk him out of it.  

The three men stopped to grab their coats before heading out to the cellar door.

Anatoli slid the bolt and walked in. Sergei was standing against the wall looking tired but still alert.

“She dead?” Anatoli asked in Russian.

“She passed out about an hour ago. She kept trying to get out of the bonds but she just wore herself out instead.” Sergei looked at Oliver as he walked into the room.

Oliver looked back and gave him a look up and down before walking over to Isabel. He put on his gloves and thought for a moment before slapping her hard.

Isabel jerked awake and looked around wildly. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Oliver.

Oliver pulled off her gag and waited. He didn’t have to wait long.

“Oliver, please let me go. This has all been a misunderstanding.” Isabel tried to cajole him. “Whatever she told you is a lie. You know she hates me because I slept with you.”

Oliver looked at the overnight bag on the floor. “Is that hers?”

“Yes, we took it off the plane. We put her phone and purse in there too.” Sergei said nervously.

Oliver opened the bag and dumped out the contents. He handed Dig the phone and tablet and started to search through everything.

“What are you doing? You can’t do that.” Isabel said. “Stop it!”

“I don’t think you are in a position to make demands.” Oliver said without looking at her. He turned to Diggle and said in English. “Have Felicity go through those for any QC materials.”

He opened a makeup bag and dumped its contents. He opened the containers. He pulled the toiletries out and looked through them. He even went through the tampons.  

“I’m curious. What are you doing?” Anatoli asked.       

“I have a sister that hides things in her makeup, aspirin bottle and tampons because she knows most people wouldn’t look there because it was too embarrassing or tedious to go through all of it.” Oliver chuckled. “Good thing I have always had a lot of women around me. I don’t embarrass that easily.”

“I will have to remember that one.” Anatoli nodded. “Women are sneaky creatures.”

Oliver pulled open a tampon wrapper and handed the flash drive he found to Diggle.

“No! You can’t take that. Oliver, give it back its personal.” Isabel shouted she started to try to move against her bonds.

Oliver shoved everything back in the bag and stood up. “I can do whatever I want. Sound familiar? That is what you thought when you had Felicity kidnapped. Well the Petrakos are waiting for their merchandise and I hope they like brunettes because that is what they are getting.”

Isabel went pale with fear. She shook her head. “No! They will kill me!”

“They can kill you or I can kill you, which do you prefer?” Oliver almost growled at her.

Diggle couldn’t understand what was being said because they were speaking in Russian but he knew Oliver’s Arrow mode when he saw it. He almost felt sorry for Isabel. Almost.

“You are going to sign this and then we will take a ride to visit your friends.” Oliver pulled the stock transfer document out of his pocket and a pen. He opened it up on the table next to her.

“I’m not giving you my stock! Isabel shouted. She looked at Dig and said in English. “Please, you can’t let him do this. He’s going to kill me.”

“If he doesn’t I will.” Diggle opened his coat to show her his gun.

Sergei looked at the man beside him in awe. He would never be able to do that with Anatoli standing there.

Oliver slapped her. “Sign it or I’ll kill you now and one of his friends can sign it for you.” He motioned toward Anatoli.

Isabel looked at her hand and then at Oliver. “I need my hand untied.”

Oliver pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and cut her hand free. He stood beside her and held the knife to her neck. “Sign it.”

She signed it quickly.

Oliver took the pen and the document off the table and put them back in his pocket. “Now you go for a ride. But first….”

Oliver stood behind her and did the choke hold that fake kills the victim. Isabel struggled then went still.

“Now is she dead?” Anatoli asked.

“No. She’s just out. Sergei, I need you to carry her to the car and go with me to that brothel. You know the place?” Oliver asked.

“No. I’m a married man. Anna would kill me if I went to a place like that.” Sergei said.

“I’ve met your Anna and I can believe it.” Oliver laughed.

Anatoli laughed. “I will tell the driver where you are headed. He will take you there and bring you back. If he doesn’t maybe Felicity will kill him.”  

Oliver laughed. “She would make him wish for death at least.”

“I’d go with you but Sophie would kill me. We love those dangerous women, don’t we?” Anatoli laughed.

Oliver nodded. “Dig’s woman carries a gun and she has a sniper rifle.”

Anatoli clapped Diggle on the shoulder and spoke in English. “I think you won my friend.”

“Won what?” Diggle was confused.

Oliver shook his head. “Later. She can’t stay this way long.”

Oliver and Sergei removed the bonds on Isabel. Sergei put her over his shoulder and carried her up the steps to the car. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

At the top of the cellar stairs the three men separated. Oliver got in the back seat of the car as Anatoli told the driver where to take him. Anatoli and Diggle went back into the house. Diggle carried the items that Oliver wanted Felicity to check out. Anatoli went to his private study to conduct business.

Outside, Sergei stowed Isabel in the trunk with her bag. He looked at her and wondered if she even knew how lucky she was. She was still alive at least for now. He got in the front seat after closing the lid.

Oliver had taken her credit cards and identification including her passport before closing the bag. She would have to go to the embassy to get new ones. It would give Interpol time to catch up with her.

The occupants of the car rode in silence to their destination.

Felicity sat on the made bed in jeans and the sweater she had on the day before. She looked at the tablet and phone and recognized them as Isabel’s. “I’ll look at them but he wants me to monitor her accounts first. I wonder what is on the flash drive.”

“She got really upset when he found it.” Diggle said. “She had it in a tampon wrapper. She said it was personal.”

Felicity snickered. “I’d say that’s personal all right.”

“Felicity, do you women do that a lot?” Diggle asked.

“Hide things in places that we think no one will ever look?” Felicity grinned. “Yeah. I do it all the time. Although I can’t believe he went through her tampons. Wow! No boundaries ever with him.”

“I agree.” Diggle said. He sat in the chair and looked at her. “What boundaries did he cross last night?”

Felicity blushed. “He kissed me and there was some major snuggling but nothing else. So you know what we talked about then.”

“I’ve been trying to get him to talk to you since I first noticed he had feelings for you.” Diggle said. “It was sometime after we dragged him back from that damn island.”

“Before the jealous pouty thing he did when Barry was there? That was the first time I noticed anything. But I thought it was because he just wanted my attention.” Felicity said. “I had no idea he loved me.”

“Oh he did.” Diggle smiled. “I think you’re the one he will actually settle down for.”

Felicity laughed. “Oliver Queen is not the settling down type.”

“I think he is but only for you.” Diggle said.

“What has he said to you?” Felicity asked.

“He said the ‘m’ word and he said it in front of Lance too.” Diggle said.

“‘M’ word?” Felicity thought for a moment then gasped. “Marriage? He said he wanted to marry me?”

Diggle nodded. “He was serious. Didn’t even flinch when Lance said you were like his wife already.”

“Crap! That’s why they were treating me like a Bratva captain’s wife. They think we are getting married or something.” Felicity said. “Marry Oliver ‘Playboy’ Queen? I would really have to think about that.”

“More like Oliver ‘The Arrow’ Queen.” Diggle reminded her.

“Dig, would you shoot him if he cheated on me?” Felicity asked suddenly.

“I would unload my clip in him for you. You’re like my sister.” Diggle said. “I bet Lance would do it too. He said you were like a daughter to him.”

Felicity opened her mouth to say something and just closed it and looked at her tablet. She had no idea the men in her life had that kind of feelings for her.  

“I can’t believe you are surprised by that.” Diggle said with a laugh.

“I am and I’m really touched.” Felicity bit her lip to keep from crying. “I love you all too, in a platonic kind of way. Except for Oliver and that is no way, shape or form platonic there.”

Diggle laughed. “So I saw this morning.”

“What?” Felicity looked up and tilted her head.

“I knocked and didn’t get an answer so I peeked in and you were practically on top of him.” Diggle teased her.

“Oh god!” Felicity’s cheeks turned very pink.

“He didn’t seem to mind. He had just woken up when I stuck my head in. You two were all cozy.” Diggle teased her more.

“He brought the wrong nightie and I was cold. He was all warm.” Felicity turned even pinker.

Diggle laughed. “Sure. Whatever you say, Felicity.” 

Felicity glared at her friend and looked back at the tablet. “I told you, nothing happened. We did a lot of talking then we went to sleep.”

“I meant what I said about the clip. He had better keep himself straight with you.” Diggle said. “You deserve that.”

“You should tell him that.” Felicity said.

“I will. You can be sure of that.” Diggle said.

Oliver walked up the warehouse looking building and knocked on the door.

A slit opened in the door. And a man’s face could be seen.

“I have something that belongs to Uri and Ivan.” Oliver said in Russian.

The door opened. “I’m Uri who are you?”

“I am a Bratva captain with some of your merchandise in the trunk. Do you want it or not?” Oliver said as he showed his tattoo.

Uri motioned him inside. He looked Oliver up and down. “You have the American woman?”

“Well she is from America but she isn’t the blonde you were expecting. The blonde just happened to be my wife. The idiot in the trunk thought she could get rid of her. She wanted me for herself. So I will trade her for my wife. Is it a deal?” Oliver asked harshly.

“I have to check with my brother. Stay here.” Uri shook his head and went to a closed door and went inside.

Oliver looked around the nearly empty room. There were a few metal chairs against one wall. He could hear crying and screaming coming from upstairs. He assumed that was where they kept the women.

Uri and another man came out of what Oliver assumed was the office.

“I’m Ivan. Where is the woman?” The new man said.

“In the trunk.” Oliver walked to the door and waved at Sergei to get Isabel out of the trunk.

Sergei came in a few minutes later with Isabel and her bag. He deposited them both on the dirty floor.

“She’s dead.” Ivan said.

Oliver shook his head and pressed on the nerve under Isabel’s chin. She sat up with a gasp and looked around.

“There is the matter of the second half of the payment.” Ivan said. “We want to keep a captain of the Bratva on good terms with us. We will double it and send it to any bank account you wish.”

Oliver shook his head. “My wife didn’t want her dead. You are doing me a favor by taking her. Keep the money. She is yours.”

“That is very generous Mr.?” Uri asked.

Oliver smiled. He looked at Sergei and nodded to the door. “Goodbye gentlemen. Oh and you may want to know. She isn’t that good. She will need some training.”

Uri and Ivan laughed.

Isabel grabbed Oliver by the ankle. “What are you doing? You can’t leave me here.”

“Yes I can.” Oliver said. He pulled his leg from her grasp and walked to the door where Sergei was standing. He turned and blew her a kiss before going out the door with Sergei.

Oliver heard Isabel scream as the door closed. He took a deep breath and got in the car.

Sergei looked at the man he was guarding and was even more afraid of him than he was before. The woman’s scream wrenched his gut. The man who just calmly got in the car showed no concern at all for her.

Sergei got in and the driver drove them back toward Anatoli’s house.

Oliver pulled out his phone and dialed Felicity.

“Felicity, start watching her accounts now.” Oliver said when she picked up her phone.

“Already on it. Hey what do you think about a spring wedding?”

“What?” Oliver looked at the phone. “Who is getting married?”

“Well according to Dig, we are and soon.”

Oliver winced. “Uh… Felicity… I can explain.”

“You had better and it better be a good one too. Now let me get back to work.”

“Yeah. I’m on my way back.” Oliver said before disconnecting the line. “Sergei, how long did it take you to propose to Anna?”

Sergei turned to look at Oliver. “I didn’t. She told me we were getting married and we did.”

“I guess that’s one way to do it.” Oliver looked at his phone again before putting it back in his pocket.

Sergei laughed. “She is planning the wedding.”

Oliver looked at the big man in the front seat. He realized that no matter how hard and terrifying he tried to be, Felicity could make him do anything. He wouldn’t even complain a lot about it either. 

“I think so.” Oliver said as he leaned back against the leather seat.

Sergei laughed. “She isn’t afraid of nothing that one. Not even you.”

Oliver looked up and smiled. “I glad for it.”

“Your man speaks his mind. I wish I had that privilege. Maybe I will come to America and work for you.” Sergei shook his head. “Anatoli would be lost without me.”

Oliver smiled. He knew what Anatoli was really capable of. Like him, his friend was dangerous and easily underestimated.

“You will have to stay. He needs you.” Oliver said. He knew that really wasn’t the truth but he felt the need to say it.

They pulled up to the house and Sergei got out and opened the door for Oliver.

“Thank you, Sergei, for your help today and for helping Felicity when she arrived. It means a lot to me. I will not forget it.” Oliver said seriously.

Sergei looked shocked that he would be given praise for simply doing as he was told. He nodded and said nothing. It was wise to be in the good graces of Bratva captains.

Oliver ran up the steps and went inside he quickly went to Felicity’s door and knocked.

Diggle opened the door. “Well?”

“She is there. Has there been any movement on her accounts?” Oliver looked at Felicity, who was looking at her screen with a puzzled expression. “What is it?”

“There is the transfer and I have the account number. Isabel funneled the money through the holding company from three accounts.” Felicity pointed to the screen. “But there are three transactions going from the account to the holding company. The first two were right after she started at QC.”

“She’s done it before.” Diggle said. “I wonder who it was.”

That wasn’t what Oliver was expecting but it made the evidence more convincing that she was in it with the Petrakos brothers.  

“Send the transactions and the holding company info to Interpol. She doesn’t have a passport or credit cards so she will have to go to the embassy. That will give them enough time to pick her up.” Oliver said.  

“What about the other woman?” Diggle asked.

“Felicity, run a search to see if any women with any connection at all to Isabel have been reported missing. Oliver said.  

“Now are you going to tell me where you took her and why you two looked like you were going to throw up when I said there had been two other transactions.” Felicity looked from Oliver and Dig and back again.

Oliver sat next to her on the bed. “Dig, I think I should do this alone.”

Diggle nodded and walked to the door. “I’ll be close if you need me.”

“Thanks.” Oliver said. “Are you done?”

“One … more … moment. There, it’s all sent.” Felicity looked at him. “You said it was bad. Now tell me what she was going to do.”

“She sold you to the Petrakos brothers for their brothel. It was a dirty place. Anatoli has had to get some girls out of there before. He says that the women are chained to the bed, beaten and drugged. He also says the worst type of people come there.” Oliver said quietly. He watched her as he spoke.  

Felicity went pale and started shaking. “She was going to send me there to be… oh god!”

Felicity clamped a hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom to throw up.

Oliver set his jaw and swore under his breath. He really wished he hadn’t told her but she kept insisting. He stood up to follow her but she appeared in the doorway before he could.

“There is another person that she did this to. We need to find out who it is and help them.” Felicity said. “She walked to the bed and picked up her tablet to start the search.”

“Felicity, after all this time the woman may be dead or so damaged there would be nothing left to save.” Oliver wanted her to be prepared.  

“We still have to try.” Felicity looked at her tablet as the windows moved looking for missing person reports.

Oliver sat back down against the head board. He pulled her back against his chest. “If she had gotten that far with her plan and you had been taken there. I would have killed her.”

“I know.” Felicity leaned back against his chest.

They sat there like that in quiet for a while. It wasn’t until the alert sounded on Felicity’s tablet sounded did they move.

“I remember her. She was Isabel’s EA before Judy. She was at QC for a week.” Felicity said.

“Send the photo and information to the embassy. The FBI will come for her if she is still alive.” Oliver sighed.

He watched as Felicity sent the file to the American embassy in Moscow. When she was done, Oliver took the tablet from her and put it on the night table before wrapping his arms around her.

Felicity put her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart until she could breathe without feeling like she was about to burst into tears.

Oliver rubbed her back and tried to calm her down as well as himself. It had been the some of the worst three days of his life since he left the island for Starling City.

When Diggle knocked on the door twenty minutes later they were still in the same position.

Diggle opened the door slowly. “Oliver, Anatoli’s wife wants us to come have some lunch before we leave.”

Oliver looked up. “Is the plane ready?”

“Yeah. I called myself to make sure. Anatoli had Felicity’s passport stamped too.” Diggle pulled the passport out of his jacket pocket. “We won’t have any problem getting her back into the US.”

“I need to collect my stuff and change my top.” Felicity said. “It will take a few minutes. Tell Sophie we will be right there.”

Diggle nodded. He left them and closed the door behind him.

“What is it?” Oliver asked. He could tell there was something on her mind.

“Something feels off.” Felicity said. “Why would Isabel do that to this other woman? There had to be a reason. Isabel doesn’t do anything without a plan.”

“I know. If the woman is found then she may know what the plan is.” Oliver said. “Was there anything in the missing person report to go on? Do you remember anything about her?”

“I know she spoke several languages. I don’t know which ones. She bragged about it. She thought she should have gotten my job and said so. I think she came to the conclusion that most people do. I was just your bed warmer.” Felicity put her head down so Oliver couldn’t see the hurt in her eyes.  

“Felicity!” Oliver was shocked.

“It’s what they say when they don’t see me standing there. Queen’s little …. Well you get the idea.” Felicity said.

Oliver looked at her. “Has this been going on the whole time you’ve been my EA?”

Felicity nodded. “I didn’t want to say anything because it was just stupid.”

“If it hurt your feelings, it isn’t stupid.” Oliver said. “Felicity, about the thing you said on the phone about the spring wedding,”

“I was kidding. Dig said that you were talking about marrying me to him and Lance. Were you?” Felicity looked up at him.

“Yes. I was worried that I would never get to tell you how I feel and we would never be together. I said I wanted to marry you someday.” Oliver said as he looked into her eyes.

Felicity smiled. “Someday is not tomorrow so that’s fine. I think we could be married someday.”  

“Soon?” Oliver said.     

Felicity laughed. “Don’t push your luck.”

Oliver nodded. “Got it. I do want to go public when we get back. I think it would stop the rumors.”

Felicity shook her head. “They would just make up new ones. They will probably say I will have to marry you because I’m pregnant or I have something on you.”

“A baby or blackmail? Do they really say things like that?” Oliver asked.

Felicity nodded. She got up and started to put things in her bag. “I need to change my top. Why don’t you go on to the dining room? I will be there in a moment.”

Oliver moved toward the door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize what would happen when I made you my EA. It was a lot more trouble than going down eighteen flights to talk to you.”

“I’m fine with it now. You need someone you can trust at your side up at the executive level. I just happened to be the best one for the job. FYI! Dig cant type.”

Oliver laughed and opened the door. “Don’t take too long.”

“I won’t.” Felicity smiled.

Felicity watched as he went through the door and closed it behind him. She sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. There was a lot to process and she wasn’t doing it very well at the moment.

They would be back in Starling City in the morning. That would be when all kinds of hell will break out in the press. She was more than sure about that.

Felicity changed and headed to the dining room for her last meal as Anatoli and Sophie’s guest.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

An hour later, Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle are standing beside the limo. Their bags were in the trunk and they were on their way to the airport.

Sophie hugged Felicity. “We will keep in touch. I have a feeling there is a lot of things we will have to talk about.”

Felicity smiled. “Thank you for everything.”

“It was our pleasure.” Anatoli said. he winked at Oliver. “I hope I get that invitation to your wedding soon.”

Oliver looked a little uncomfortable. “She hasn’t said yes yet.”

Diggle chuckled. “Have you even asked her?”

“No he hasn’t.” Felicity rubbed Oliver’s arm. “We need some time but I will make sure that you are on the guest list. It may raise an eyebrow or two but I will be glad to see you both there.”

“Starling City doesn’t have importers?” Anatoli laughed and patted Oliver on the shoulder.

Diggle grinned. “It will make interesting reception conversation that’s for sure.”

“We need to get going.” Oliver said. “He kissed Sophie on the cheek and patted Anatoli on the shoulder. Thank you both.”       

The limo driver held the door open for them then got in. he drove them to the airport.

When they were finally on the plane, Felicity set about going through Isabel’s phone and computer.

Oliver looked out the window with a pensive look on his face.

“Regretting your decision?” Diggle asked as he sat on the opposite side of the plane.

“What?” Oliver asked.

“Are you regretting the fact that you let her live?” Diggle asked.

Oliver shook his head. “No. That’s not it. She did all these things right under my nose. Why didn’t I notice any of it?”

“Oliver, you can’t stop all the bad things that happen in Starling City. Isabel was ruthless. It’s clear that she has no conscious. She is a woman and she sent another woman into that place. Who does that?” Diggle was disgusted with the thought.

Oliver shook his head. “Yes. She is ruthless but that usually comes with a price. She will pay for it soon enough. She will be stuck in Moscow for at least a few days. Even with money, the American embassy moves at its own pace not hers. Interpol will have her by tomorrow if not sooner.”

“You’re all right with that?” Diggle asked.  

“Yes. Killing her would have only made more problems.” Oliver rubbed his face. “I don’t need those kinds of problems. None of us do.”

“Oliver, there was only contacts on the phone. Most can be accounted for. I will run the others when we get back to the lair. The laptop has some sensitive documents on it. What do you want me to do with it?” Felicity looked over at him.  

“Clear them off then wipe the hard drive.” Oliver said. “Make it so they can never be retrieved.”

“I have a military grade program for that. It will clean the hard drive so good it will squeak.” Felicity wrinkled her nose. “Well not actually squeak but you know what I mean.”

Oliver smiled. “Put it away and rest a while.”

“I have been resting for days. I need to make my brain work a little.” Felicity picked up the flash drive. “I think I will look at this. I’m using her laptop in case there is something on it that will mess up my tablet.”

“Lean over here and let me look too.” Oliver raised his arm and put it on the back of the seat behind Felicity.

Felicity turned and moved against his side. She connected the drive and started to open the files.

Diggle chuckled. “Man, you do not realize how married you two are already.”

Oliver and Felicity looked up at Diggle. They looked at each other and then back at him.

“I just think it’s great that you two are going to give it a try.” Diggle said.

“You are such a softy, Dig.” Felicity said.

“I’m a romantic.” Diggle grinned. “You two were testing the limits of my patience though. I was beginning to think this would never happen.”

“Thanks for having faith in us.” Felicity smiled.

“Just don’t mess it up.” Diggle grinned.

Oliver laughed.

Felicity looked down at the laptop. “What do we have here? There is a passport birth, certificate and a copy of adoption papers. Oliver, you better look at this.”

Oliver leaned over and looked. “Damn.”

“There are photos on this too.” Felicity said as she moved a few to the front.

“Diggle, we may have a problem.” Oliver said. “I think Isabel is Ra’s Al Ghul’s other daughter.”

“Wait! You think Isabel is the one they call Talia?” Diggle scowled.

“There are photos of her and Nyssa.” Oliver said. “There is a birth certificate with the father left blank. The info matches what Sara told us about the second daughter.”

“Are we dead?” Felicity asked.

“No. but we need to tighten security everywhere for now.” Oliver said. “I don’t want you alone at all until we are sure there will be no retaliation.”

“Great.” Felicity pinched her nose under her glasses. “We just set up a mad man’s daughter. Correction! I just set up a mad man’s daughter.”

“That explains the cold heart and lack of conscious.” Diggle said.

“There is a chance that Ra’s doesn’t even care what happens to her.” Oliver said. “She is not his heir, Nyssa is.”

“I wish Sara would come back home.” Felicity said. “She could tell us how much trouble we are in. Why did she leave again anyway?”

“Laurel’s situation and then there was what I did. I feel bad for Lance. He got her back only for her to leave again because of me.” Oliver said. “How do you even love me after I have paraded women in front of you since we met?”

“It wasn’t easy. There have been a lot of them.” Felicity laughed.

Diggle laughed at Oliver’s face when she said that.

“To be honest, I don’t know.” Felicity shrugged. Maybe it’s because we have always been more than just people who work together. We trust each other. We have always been friends and then partners. But sometimes you really are an ass.”

Oliver winced. “Sorry.”

Diggle laughed. “Yeah. You two need to make this legal.”

“Marry me?” Oliver grinned at felicity.

“Date me first.” Felicity tilted her head at him. “Then maybe I will.”

“Fair enough.” Oliver laughed. “Shut all that down and relax for now. You can go through the rest of it when we get back.”

Felicity sighed she disconnected the flash drive and shut down the laptop. She shoved everything back in her work bag. Oliver was right it was a long trip and she couldn’t do much more without wifi.

Several hours later, they arrived in Starling City. The plane taxied to a stop.

Oliver nudged Felicity as she laid against his shoulder. “Wake up! We’re home.”

“Hum?” Felicity says sleepily. 

“We are in Starling, Felicity.” Oliver said with a grin.

“What? I just closed my eyes a second ago.” Felicity sat up and looked around.

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell her she snores.” Diggle said as he walked past them.

“I do not!” Felicity said. She looked at Oliver. “Do I?”

Oliver pressed his lips together. He wasn’t about to answer that question. He reached over and grabbed her bag and his duffle and stood up.

“Oliver, answer me!” Felicity repeated.

Oliver looked back at her and winked. “Come on.”

Felicity got up and grabbed her work bag. She followed him down the steps to the tarmac.

There was a limo parked there. The door opened and Moira Queen stepped out.

“Oliver, where have you been?” Moira asked.

“I had some out of town business to deal with. I should have called I’m sorry.” Oliver kissed his mother on the cheek.

“Isabel called the house. She is stuck in Russia and she said it was your fault. She said you forced her to give up her stock and just left her stranded there. What is she talking about?” Moira asked.

Oliver looked confused. “I didn’t leave her anywhere. She went to Russia on her own. I do have a signed stock transfer giving me the other shares of Q.C. stock. Mom, you shouldn’t believe everything Isabel says.”

“I don’t but she was calling from the American embassy in Moscow. She said you took her passport and credit cards.” Moira said.

“Wasn’t me.” Oliver looked as innocent as possible.

Moira looked at Felicity then back at Oliver. “Where were you?”

“We were in Russia visiting an associate of mine on Verdant business. He’s an importer. She was already there when we flew over. I saw Isabel at her hotel. She didn’t travel to Russia with me.” Oliver said.

Moira frowned. “She said she will be back in a few days. They are getting her a replacement passport. If you have the stock, there really isn’t any reason for her to come back to the company.”

Oliver pulled the stock transfer out of his inside breast pocket. “I have it right here. She agreed to hand it over.”

“If it was Verdant business, why isn’t Thea with you? She is the manager.” Moira asked.

“I didn’t need her there.” Oliver said. “Besides he doesn’t like to do business with women. He’s very old fashioned.”

Moira looked like she didn’t believe it but didn’t ask anything else about it.

“Um Mom, you remember Felicity Smoak? Oliver decided to tell his mom about him and Felicity since they were all there.

“Yes I do.” Moira looked at Felicity then back at Oliver.

“You said when I was ready to introduce the woman I was spending my nights with to let you know. I’m spending them with Felicity.” Oliver said.  

“Oliver, you go through women so fast I can hardly keep up.” Moira turned to Felicity. “I’m sure you are very nice but my son is not the settling down kind so you may want to think about cutting your losses and getting out.” 

“Mom!” Oliver said. that was the last thing he expected her to say. He looked at Felicity expecting to see her hurt feeling all over her face.  

“Well, that went well. It’s nice to know you have such a high opinion of your son.” Felicity snarked. “Can we go now? I want to go home now, please.”

Oliver looked at Diggle. “We have to go through customs but we will talk about this later, Mom. The car is over there. Dig?”

“Oliver, don’t bother. We just won’t invite her to the wedding.” Felicity said as she followed Diggle to the car. “While we are at it, can we not invite my mom either?”

“What is she talking about?” Moira asked.

“I’m going to take Felicity home.” Oliver said and walked off.

“Oliver!” Moira called out to him.

Oliver waved and walked to the terminal behind Diggle and Felicity. 

The trio went through customs and headed towards Felicity’s apartment.    

“I’m sorry about my mom.” Oliver said. “She should have never said that to you.”

“I mean it, Oliver. I don’t either of our moms at the wedding.” Felicity glared at him.

“I thought you wanted to date first before you answered my proposal.” Oliver grinned.

“I do but we both know how this is going to end up and so does Dig.” Felicity nodded at the silent Diggle in the front.

“Yep. I know exactly how this will end. Me dressed up like a waiter doing security while you both sip champagne.” Diggle said from the front seat.

“I was hoping you would be my best man.” Oliver said

“Wow! Do you have it all planned out in your head?” Felicity asked.

“Sort of. I guess.” Oliver shrugged. “Like you haven’t planned your dream wedding since you were a little girl. I have a sister I know how that works.”

“Not for all of us. I didn’t even have a boyfriend until college. Marriage is not something I think about.” Felicity told him. “I still can’t believe you even want to marry me. We haven’t even had sex yet.”

“Hey! I’m driving here!” Diggle said from the front seat.

Oliver looked at her and winked.

Felicity slapped him on the arm.

They flew through customs and were out on the road in less than an hour. They pulled into the parking lot of Felicity’s apartment and Diggle opened the trunk to get her bag.

Oliver took it from him. “I’ll walk you up to your door.”

“Get your bag. You’re staying.” Felicity said.

Diggle handed Oliver his duffle. He grinned.

“I guess I’m staying.” Oliver took the bag and followed Felicity up to the apartment.

She pulled out her keys and opened the door. She and Oliver went inside and Oliver dropped the bags by the door.

“Put them in the bedroom, Oliver. What do you want on the pizza? I was thinking all veggie.” Felicity pulled the takeout menu off the refrigerator. 

“No black olives.” Oliver said as he picked the bags back up and headed down the hall.

Felicity snorted and dialed the pizza place to order.

“What is so funny?” Oliver asked as came back in and sat on the sofa.

“Your name is Oliver and you don’t like olives.” Felicity laughed.

Oliver grinned at her. “I only like olives in martinis then only the green ones.”

“Noted!” She finished ordering and sat on the sofa. “I was thinking we could watch a movie. We can see what is on or we can order one from the on demand menu.”

“I have a better idea.” Oliver pulled her over into his lap he pulled off her glasses and freed her hair from the band.

“Oh so you want to talk.” Felicity smirked.

“Na uh.” Oliver cupped her cheek and kissed her slowly and carefully. He pulled back and looked at her. The desire was obvious in his eyes

“Oliver, the pizza will be here soon.” Felicity said. “We don’t have enough time to … do that. Not properly at least.

“I want to take my time kissing you then we can have pizza in bed.” Oliver kissed her again.  

“That could get messy.” Felicity giggled.

“That is the best I can do because I don’t have a condom in my wallet. You kinda caught me unprepared.” Oliver stroked her cheek with his thumb.

“Oh there is a box in the bedside table drawer.” Felicity said. She smiled at the shocked look on his face. “What? You think I haven’t had sex? I have, you know.”

“I did but I didn’t think it was that recent.” Oliver looked at her questioningly.

“It wasn’t. They probably have dust on them.” Felicity laughed.

Oliver laughed. “Has it been that long? I hope I can survive the night.”

Felicity snorted. “We shall see how you do after we eat. But for now just stop talking and kiss me.”

“Gladly!” Oliver pulled her close and kissed her breathless.

By the time the pizza arrived Oliver was barely dressed. Oliver paid for the pizza with a $50 in his underwear and t-shirt.

“Thanks!” the delivery boy looked at the bill and his eyes got big.

Oliver took the pizza and shut the door.

“That tip was more than the pizza, Oliver.” Felicity laughed about the look on the delivery boy’s face.

Oliver grinned and shrugged. Oliver grabbed her hand and pulled her up and they went into the bedroom. “Come on. Let’s get in bed.”

“Wait! We need wine.” Felicity said at the bedroom door.

“Hurry up.” Oliver said as he sat on the bed.

Felicity went into the kitchen grabbed glasses and wine and the bottle of red that she had been saving. She walked into the bedroom to find Oliver was under the covers and his shirt was on the floor.

Felicity laughed and handed him the wine and glasses. “I see you made yourself comfortable.”

He pulled the covers back on the other side. “Now you. Loose some of those clothes.”

“Close your eyes.” Felicity blushed.

Oliver raised an eyebrow and did as she asked.

Felicity picked up his t-shirt and went to the other side of the bed and striped to her bra and panties then slipped the t-shirt on before getting into the covers.

“Hey! That’s my shirt.” Oliver said as she reached for the pizza on his lap.

“You weren’t wearing it.” Felicity said as she bit down on the pizza slice.

“Fine.” Oliver said. He picked up a slice and took a bite. “This is just what I needed. I was hungrier than I thought.”

Felicity giggled. “I have never eaten pizza in bed with a naked man. This is fun but not exactly the first date I had in mind.”

“I’m not completely naked. But don’t worry, I promise to make it memorable.” Oliver winked at her.      

An hour later they were fast asleep with the empty pizza box and wine bottle on the floor. Felicity was snuggled up against Oliver. They had fallen asleep before they could even use the condoms in the drawer.   

By the time they got in to the office the next morning, the news had the story of Isabel Rochev being arrested by Interpol for human trafficking. Investors and board members were already calling to speak to Oliver.

By noon most of the investors had been reassured that Isabel had already left the company before she was arrested in Russia by Interpol.

Oliver called an emergency board meeting that included the department heads that afternoon to reassure the board members before releasing a press release on Isabel’s arrest.

Moira Queen came to the board meeting as well. She looked at Felicity, who was standing by the door, as she walked into the meeting.

Oliver stood up to address the board members who were looking stressed already.

“I want you to know that Isabel signed over the stock in the company two days before she was arrested. I have the signed dated and filed stock transfer. Of the 50 shares of stock that were held by Stellmoor and Miss Rochev are now in the hands of the Queen family once more.”

“Will there be a press release that states this soon? QC stock has already dropped a point.” The head of sales asked.

“The press is getting the statement as soon as we are done here.” Oliver told him.

“Did you have any idea that she was doing these awful things?” The head of the HR department asked.

“I knew she was not to be trusted.” Oliver said simply. “Is there anymore questions that I need to answer or have we got all of it covered?

“Mr. Queen, Miss Rochev contacted me and said that you threatened her into signing over the stock.” One of the board members said. “Is that true?”

“That isn’t true. I was in Russia making a deal with an importer for vodka for my club, Verdant. We met at her hotel and she signed the stock over. I told her I was traveling to Russia on other business and she said to bring the paperwork to sign over the shares. She had told me that she would do it and she did. I would never threaten a woman.” Oliver glanced back at Felicity standing at the door.

Moira looked at him with a questioning look on her face. She knew there was more to the story than he was telling.

“So if there isn’t anything else we should get back to business.” Oliver smiled.

The board members left quietly but Moira stayed.

“Felicity, send out the statement.” Oliver said. “I want to talk to my mother a moment.”

Felicity nodded and went to send out the press release.

“Oliver, I know that story is full of holes. Isabel told me what happened. She said you held her hostage to force her to sign over the stock.” Moira said. “She has apparently told more than just me the same thing.”

“Did she tell you that she kidnapped Felicity and took her to Russia to be sold as a sex slave? Did she tell you that she did the same thing to another woman who still hasn’t been found? Did she also tell you that she was planning to seduce me, marry me and then kill me?

“No.” Moira looked at her son in amazement. “She didn’t.”

“That is what happened, Mom. So don’t even try to defend Isabel to me.” Oliver flexed his hand at his side in frustration.

“I wasn’t defending her.” Moira said. “I was just telling you what she said. How did you get Felicity away from Isabel?”

“I did and that is all that’s important. I have work to do.” Oliver looked at his mother.  

“Are you coming home tonight?” Moira already knew the answer was ‘no’.

“I don’t think so. Felicity and I have plans.” Oliver said. “I suggest you start getting to know her a little better.”

“So you really are serious about her?” Moira was surprised.  

Oliver nodded.

“I guess I had better.” Moira said as she looked in wonder at her son. She kissed his cheek before heading home headed home.

Later that evening, Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity arrived at the alley door to the lair to find Roy and Lance standing there.

“We were waiting for you. What’s up?” Roy asked.

“Let’s go inside.” Oliver pushed in the code to the door and they all followed him inside.

“Wait!? You’re letting Lance in here?” Felicity asked as she walked to the computers.

“I was in here the night you were taken. I was watching him lose his mind.” Lance said. “So when is the big day? I assume that is why you told us to all be here.”

“Not exactly.” Oliver went over to where Felicity was sitting at the computers and turned her chair around to face him.

Felicity looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

Oliver got down on one knee in front of her. he pulled a ring box out of his pocket. “Felicity, this is the official one. Felicity Megan Smoak will you be my wife?”

Felicity stared at him for a moment then just nodded.

Oliver opened the box and pulled the emerald and diamond engagement ring out and slipped it on her hand.

Oliver leaned over and kissed her soft and slow.

“I will marry you someday soon, but not tonight.” Felicity looked at her hand and smiled. The ring sparkled in the overhead lights. “Tonight we have work to do. Those patrols aren’t going to do themselves, you know.”

“Well now we know who the boss is around here, don’t we, Queen?” Lance laughed.

“Just so you know, I will unload my entire clip into you if you hurt her. Diggle said.

“Ditto and I have a backup piece.” Lance said.

Roy folded his arms in front of his chest. “I’ll just punch you.”

“Looks like I will have to be on my best behavior for the rest of my life.“ Oliver grinned.

“Don’t stand around! Get those leathers on, Oliver!” Felicity said. “Oh and I will take every one of the up on what they just said.”

“Yes Dear!” Oliver grinned and reached for his bow. He wouldn’t have it any other way. 


End file.
